In Anaheim, the UFC 298 mixed martial arts event featured a middleweight matchup between Roman Kopylov of Russia and American contender Anthony Hernandez. The bout concluded after two rounds with Hernandez earning the decision in favor of the United States. Midway through the bout, Ikram Aliskerov was temporarily replaced by Kopylov, a change that shortened the lead time for both camps. Hernandez sits at 17 wins and two losses in his career, marking another solid performance on his record.
The night’s marquee clash slated for the arena pitted Australian star Alexander Volkanovski against Spanish-Georgian challenger Ilia Topuria, drawing global attention to the event and the competitive landscape of the lightweight and featherweight divisions.
Kopylov, now 31, has built a UFC résumé that includes four victories, three of which came in the 2023 season. His UFC tenure began in 2019, a run that started with two initial losses before turning the corner with subsequent success.
Earlier in his UFC career, Kopylov delivered a knockout victory over Josh Fremd in a later-round finish, adding to his overall experience of 15 professional MMA fights, with a record of 12 wins and three losses. He has competed at a high level since 2016 and previously held the middleweight title in the AMC Fight Nights organization in Russia, highlighting his regional championship pedigree and his growth into the international scene.
In other recent developments, a statement from Kopylov’s camp indicated a dispute where he claimed to have been robbed by a taxi driver in Moscow, an incident that drew attention to the challenges fighters sometimes face outside the cage.