Alexander Volkanovski Praises Ilia Topuria for Landing Knockout Blow in 2024 Encounter

Ilia Topuria is set to headline the upcoming UFC Freedom 250 card against Justin Gaethje at the White House. This will be his first title defense since becoming a double champion last year after winning the UFC lightweight title against Charles Oliveira. As the card approaches, Alexander Volkanovski, a former opponent, has complimented the Spaniard on his performance against him.

‘El Matador’ shocked the world when he knocked out the Australian champion in their fight at UFC 298. Volkanovski had outclassed the entire featherweight division, racking up 5 title defenses in a generational reign. However, it ended with an incredible 2nd round knockout from Topuria.

‘The Great’ was having success in the first and arguably won it by using his jab and distance management to stave off the challenger’s explosive combinations. However, the now double champion backed up the Australian to the fence before unleashing a devastating combo that put his lights out. Two years hence, the two-time featherweight champion has commended Ilia Topuria for landing the knockout blow on him.

Ilia talked about [how] it wasn’t the ones and twos that he was going to get me with, it was the three fours and fives, [that] is where he got me…He was right, you know the ones and twos weren’t really there, but the three, four, fives in that combo were…He did a great job of mid combo shuffling laterally to get his base and then just ends up catching me.

Alexander Volkanovski via his YouTube channel

💥🤯 Alexander Volkanovski praises Ilia Topuria’s combinations and game planning that led to this KO in their fight.

The first thing Volk points out is that high-level fighters usually move sideways to avoid shots, instead of just going backwards.

At the same time, Topuria… pic.twitter.com/Ty27f0zMhH

— Home of Fight (@Home_of_Fight) May 28, 2026

Since that knockout, Alexander Volkanovski has claimed that he was not 100% in that fight. After all, ‘The Great’ was coming off a brutal KO loss to Islam Makhachev just 4 months before UFC 298, and many have used this to discredit Topuria’s win over him.

However, the two-time featherweight champion gave full credit to the UFC lightweight champion as he broke down the Spaniard’s upcoming fight on his YouTube channel.

Volkanovski even predicted that the 29-year-old would get yet another knockout victory when he faces Justin Gaethje to unify the lightweight belts.

Though the 37-year-old has called for a rematch against Topuria as recently as last year, the former rivals seem to be on good terms.

As such, nothing speaks to this more than Volk’s recent revelation about a scrapped collaboration with El Matador.

Alexander Volkanovski reveals Ilia Topuria collaboration fell through because of travel issues

Since their fight at UFC 298, Ilia Topuria and his former rival’s paths have crossed several times. First, they met during the UFC 308 fight week when the now-double champion fought Max Holloway. Later, they saw quite a bit of each other when Volk’s training partner, Colby Thicknesse, fought Aleksandre Topuria, the lightweight champion’s older brother.

All of their interactions have been quite friendly and mutually respectful. As such, Volkanovski, who has a viral internet cooking show called Cookin’ With Volk, teased a potential collaboration with his former opponent. However, he recently revealed that he had planned to visit the Spaniard in March, lamenting that it would have been “cool” to check in with him.

I actually should be in Spain right now with Ilia. We’re going to catch up with Ilia. We’re going to do some training, catch up, and Cookin’ with Volk. And it would have been great to catch up with him.

Alexander Volkanovski on his YouTube channel

The Australian featherweight reassured his fans that a collaboration with the double champion was going to happen. He revealed that travel issues have simply delayed the collaboration between them.

I think that would have been cool. But we’re going to save that for another time. That will happen…Just can’t be done right now. It’s a crazy time in the world right now. Traveling is getting difficult, which makes things a little bit harder.

Alexander Volkanovski via his YouTube channel

🇪🇸Alexander Volkanovski say that he was supposed to be in Spain right now to visit Ilia Topuria, but with the conflicts he can’t travel

"I actually should be in Spain right now with Ilia. We were going to catch up, do some training, and maybe even cook together with Volk.” pic.twitter.com/4SIRtWhOrX

— Dovy🔌 (@DovySimuMMA) March 21, 2026

Volkanovski believes that he and Topuria linking up would go viral on social media, which is not a stretch considering the millions of followers between them. Nonetheless, it will have to wait till Topuria is done with his upcoming fight against the ‘Highlight’.

Also Read:

• Conor McGregor Explains the Reason Behind Shifting His Approach Against Max Holloway
• Ilia Topuria Eyes Conor McGregor Superfight Once the Irishman Gets Past Max Holloway