NBA star Jamal Murray, a friend of UFC champion Alexander Volkanovski, has expressed his support for Volkanovski's upcoming featherweight title defense against Ilia Topuria at UFC 298 on Feb. 17, 2024 Defenses.

The reigning featherweight champion, Volkanovski is coming off a first round knockout of Islam Makhachev in a lightweight title fight at UFC 294. Despite the setback, Volkanovski has vowed to return to the featherweight division to defend his gold belt against the undefeated Topoulia.

Murray, who plays for the Denver Nuggets and is expected to be an NBA All-Star in 2024, shared his thoughts on Volkanovski's comeback fight at a recent media conference. He said he will try to attend the game or at least watch it live. Murray also expressed his understanding of Volkanovski taking a chance on a fight against Makhachev on short notice, recognizing the importance of an athlete's mental health, especially in a combat sport like mixed martial arts.

Murray's comments

"I hope he comes to me because I'll be an all-star. But no matter what, I'll find a way to meet him. Yes, we'll have a grappling clinic."

"Oh yeah, but I think it's a different mentality. Not for him. Obviously, it's not like, let's turn it over, 'Oh!' You know, we scored a goal.' It's like, you know, the guy was fighting and got hit in the face. So you have to be prepared mentally, physically, spiritually and emotionally. I think he'll bounce back like he always does and be in the right frame of mind for the next game, which will be a great game.

Other insights:

Urijah Faber's Analysis: Mixed martial arts legend Urijah Faber also weighed in on the Volkanovski-Topriya matchup, emphasizing the importance of Topriya avoiding being dropped by Volkanovskiy and pressure in the cage. Faber also mentions the potential advantages of Toplija's youth and explosiveness against the 35-year-old Volkanovski.
Overall, this article provides a well-rounded perspective on Volkanovski's upcoming fight, including insights from Murray and Faber. The article avoids harmful, insensitive or controversial language and focuses on the competitive aspects of the event.