New UFC featherweight champion Ilia Topuria emphatically won the gold Saturday at UFC 298 with a second-round knockout victory against Alexander Volkanovski, and after the fight, Topuria delivered an inspiring message.

In the same post-fight interview Topuria called out inactive MMA legend Conor McGregor for a fight in Spain, the new champ gave his perspective after the biggest win of his career.

“Guess what? The only person that has your back in this life is yourself,” Topuria said. “Just trust yourself … and everything is possible. Look at me now. Look.”

Topuria also gave a peek into the mindset that has gotten him to the featherweight title.

“It doesn't matter where you come from, it's where you're going,” Topuria said. “It's more important what's in front of you than what's behind you.”

Topuria, now 15-0, stopped Volkanovski, dethroning the featherweight champion in his sixth title defense. It was the 13th stoppage victory of Topuria's career. Only his first UFC fight in 2020 against Youssef Zalal and his June 2023 fight against Josh Emmett have gone the distance.

With Volkanovski having lost three of his four fights in just over a year, including the last two by knockout, Topuria will likely not have to face the Australian in a rematch. Instead, unless he manages to land an incredibly improbable fight vs. McGregor, Topuria is likely heading toward fights against the likes of Max Holloway or Yair Rodríguez, both of whom were ranked ahead of Topuria in the UFC featherweight rankings at the time of Saturday's title fight.

A Topuria-Holloway fight would be the most interesting matchup; while Topuria has a knack for finishing fights, Holloway, a former featherweight champion, last lost within the distance 12 years ago against Dustin Poirier. It is the only time in Holloway's illustrious, 32-fight career he has been finished. Additionally, Holloway is 4-1 in his last five fights, with his lone loss coming in July 2022 in a unanimous decision defeat to Volkanovski, to whom Holloway has lost three times.