When Ilia Topuria uncorked a thunderous second-round right hook to down Alexander Volkanovski at the Honda Center in Anaheim, California, on Saturday he not only won the UFC featherweight title but also redrew the global topography of the world's leading fight promotion.

In a moment reminiscent of Conor McGregor's famous 13-second knockout of Jose Aldo in 2015, Topuria seized his chance in the second round against the Australian.

The victory meant the 27-year-old German-born Georgian, who has lived in Spain since he was 15, had suddenly opened the Iberian peninsula for the world's marquee name in MMA.