![Ilia Topuria (left) shares new route to victory ahead of potential rematch with Alexander Volkanovski (right) [Images courtesy: Getty Images]](https://staticg.sportskeeda.com/editor/2025/02/c00de-17388448798917-1920.jpg)
![Ilia Topuria (left) shares new route to victory ahead of potential rematch with Alexander Volkanovski (right) [Images courtesy: Getty Images]](data:image/svg+xml;charset=utf-8,%3Csvg%20xmlns='http%3A//www.w3.org/2000/svg'%20xmlns%3Axlink='http%3A//www.w3.org/1999/xlink'%20viewBox='0%200%2010%206.25'%3E%3Cfilter%20id='b'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20color-interpolation-filters='sRGB'%3E%3CfeGaussianBlur%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20stdDeviation='.5'%3E%3C/feGaussianBlur%3E%3CfeComponentTransfer%3E%3CfeFuncA%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20type='discrete'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20tableValues='1%201'%3E%3C/feFuncA%3E%3C/feComponentTransfer%3E%3C/filter%3E%3Cimage%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20filter='url(%23b)'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
Ilia Topuria has shared an alternative route to victory against Alexander Volkanovski, should the pair meet in a rematch. They first met at UFC 298 where 'The Great' suffered a knockout defeat in round two. Topuria was crowned the new champion and successfully defended his crown against Max Holloway at UFC 308, also via knockout.
Following his win over Holloway, 'El Matador' shared a faceoff in the octagon with Volkanovski, indicating a rematch between the pair to be next. But in December 2024, the Spaniard's coach stated that they were hoping to move up to lightweight to challenge Islam Makhachev.
The 28-year-old is currently unclear about what lies ahead for him, having remained open to both a rematch against the Australian or a clash with Makhachev.
He was recently interviewed by mainevent and shared a confident prediction for a potential rematch with Volkanovski. He said:
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"If I stay at 145 [pounds], no one deserves the fight more than [Volkanovski]. I have to give him the rematch, because he deserves that. It's not something that I decide, he owns his shot."
He continued:
"I don't want to do it again, because I like Volk and I know what's going to happen if we face each other again... Of course it's the same thing, as I always said, I represent the new generation of mixed martial arts... I know what's going to happen. Maybe next time instead of knocking him out, I will submit him. Maybe I'm going to change that to have different types of clips."
Catch Ilia Topuria's comments below (3:50):
Dan Hooker claims Ilia Topuria turned down Alexander Volkanovski clash for UFC 313
UFC 313 will be headlined by a light heavyweight title fight between Alex Pereira and Magomed Ankalaev, with Dan Hooker and Justin Gaethje scheduled to go to war in the co-main event over five rounds.
The card will take place on March 8, and ahead of it bout, Hooker was interviewed by Submission Radio. He claimed that Ilia Topuria turned down a fight offer to face Alexander Volkanovski at UFC 313:
"They wanted to put Volk and Ilia on the [UFC 313] card as well but Ilia said he needs six months to make weight or something. I'm like, 'Bro, what?'"
Catch Dan Hooker discussing Ilia Topuria vs. Alexander Volkanovski below (10:40):
