Exclusive: "I think he'll do well" - Miranda Maverick weighs in on UFC 298 headliner between Alexander Volkanovski and Ilia Topuria

UFC featherweight champion Alexander Volkanovski will put his title on the line for the sixth time against No.3 ranked contender Ilia Topuria at UFC 298.

UFC women's flyweight Miranda Maverick spoke on the fight in an exclusive interview with Sportskeeda MMA's Dylan Bowker on our official YouTube channel.

She expressed her support for the Australian champion, but also went on to add that she wasn't overly concerned with the rest of the card. She said:

“Yeah, I think that Volkanovski will do well. I’m hoping he does, I’m rooting for him. Other than that, to be honest with you, I don’t pay as much attention to my own cards. I know that sounds kind of silly but because I’m so focused on my own [fight], I kind of just ignore everything else that’s happening on the card. Like until last week I wouldn’t have been able to tell you who the headliner was.”

Maverick has only one loss in her last four fights, and will look to start her 2024 season strong.

Check out Miranda Maverick's comments (16:00 for her thoughts on UFC 298):

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Ilia Topuria envisions first-round finish against Alexander Volkanovski at UFC 298

Spanish challenger Ilia Topuria holds an undefeated professional record and has won performance bonuses in each of his last three fights.

'El Matador' is hoping to dethrone Alexander Volkanovski at UFC 298 and end his reign of over four years. He predicted a first-round knockout in his favor in an interview with UFC Espanol.

He said:

"I see myself finishing him in the first round – knockout. It’s most likely going to be a knockout unless he dives for my legs. I’m going to put his lights out. I’m part of the new generation of MMA. I bring an evolved style in all areas of the sport: on the feet, in the wrestling, in the grappling. I consider myself a far more complete and effective finisher than Volkanovski." [translation via MMA Junkie]

Topuria went on to explain his readiness and stated that his preparation and research on his opponent had been very thorough. He added:

"The experience is on his side, but the young blood is on my side. This is my moment... There won’t be any failure. I’m not going to say it’s been the toughest camp because every camp we do is always hard, but I will say it’s been the most professional camp I’ve ever done. We’ve done a deep analysis on my opponent, and we’re prepared for the fight." [translation via MMA Junkie]

Check out his full comments on UFC 298 in the interview below: