Alexander Volkanovski Successfully Weighs in for UFC 298 Featherweight Title Defense
The stage is set for an epic showdown in the octagon as featherweight champion Alexander Volkanovski successfully weighed in for his title defense at UFC 298. The reigning champion tipped the scales at 144.5 pounds, ready to go head-to-head with undefeated challenger Ilia Topuria, who also weighed in at 144.5 pounds.
The official weigh-ins took place on Friday, with all 10 main card participants making weight. Among them were middleweight contenders Robert Whittaker and Paulo Costa, rivals Geoff Neal and Ian Machado Garry, and the No. 1 bantamweight contender candidates Merab Dvalishvili and Henry Cejudo.
While the main card participants smoothly made weight, there was a last-minute switch-up in the preliminary portion of the card. Marcos Rogerio de Lima lost his scheduled opponent, Justin Tafa, due to injury. However, luck was on de Lima’s side as Justin’s brother, Junior, stepped in to accept the bout. Both fighters successfully weighed in near the end of the two-hour official weigh-in window.
Most of Saturday’s competitors wasted no time in hitting the scales, with the majority weighing in within the first 30 minutes. The only exception was Mackenzie Dern, who arrived with less than 15 minutes remaining in the window. Dern, who accepted a bout with Amanda Lemos on short notice as a replacement for Tatiana Suarez, showed up bursting with energy and hit the mark at 116 pounds.
The official weigh-in results for UFC 298 are as follows:
Main Card (ESPN+ PPV, 10 p.m. ET)
– Alexander Volkanovski (144.5) vs. Ilia Topuria (144.5)
– Robert Whittaker (185.5) vs. Paulo Costa (185.5)
– Ian Machado Garry (170.5) vs. Geoff Neal (170.5)
– Henry Cejudo (135) vs. Merab Dvalishvili (135)
– Anthony Hernandez (185.5) vs. Roman Kopylov (185)
Preliminary Card (8 p.m. ET on ESPN/ESPN+)
– Mackenzie Dern (116) vs. Amanda Lemos (115.5)
– Marcos Rogerio de Lima vs. Justin Tafa — fight canceled
– Marcos Rogerio de Lima (261.5) vs. Junior Tafa (249)
– Rinya Nakamura (135.5) vs. Carlos Vera (135.5)
– Zhang Mingyang (204.5) vs. Brendson Ribeiro (205.5)
Early Prelims (6:30 p.m. ET on ESPN+)
– Josh Quinlan (169) vs. Danny Barlow (171)
– Oban Elliott (170.5) vs. Val Woodburn (169.5)
– Andrea Lee (125.5) vs. Miranda Maverick (126)
With all the fighters successfully making weight, fans can now eagerly anticipate the action-packed fights that await them at UFC 298. The stage is set for a night of thrilling battles and unforgettable moments inside the octagon.
