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Ilia Topuria has made it clear that he's not keen on an immediate rematch with Alexander Volkanovski, despite the former champion's call for a second bout following their clash at UFC 298. Topuria's challenge for the UFC Featherweight Championship culminated in a stunning victory inside the Honda Center in Anaheim, California, on Saturday night.
The fight started with a solid opening round, but it was in the second stanza that Topuria landed a decisive right hook that knocked Volkanovski out, marking the beginning of his reign as the UFC 145-pound champion. Despite Volkanovski's desire for a rematch, Topuria expressed a different sentiment during the UFC 298 post-fight press conference.
While acknowledging his respect for Volkanovski, Topuria indicated that he feels it's time to move on and allow the new generation of fighters to have their chance. He stated,
"It’s time to clean up the division a little bit. It’s time for the new generation to have new challengers, new faces, and I think I will be looking for that."
Topuria also mentioned that his job is to fight whoever the UFC puts in front of him, emphasizing his readiness to face any opponent selected for him. With his sights set on a title defense in Spain, Topuria's emergence as a superstar champion has drawn interest from UFC CEO Dana White, who expressed eagerness to attend the event.
Should Topuria headline an event in Spain, it is expected to attract significant attention and business. The question now is who will step up to challenge the newly-minted UFC featherweight champion in his first title defense.