UFC 298 'Embedded,' No. 5: Inside Merab Dvalishvili's room as he suits up for the press conference

The UFC is back for its second pay-per-view of 2024, and the popular “Embedded” fight week video series is here to document what’s happening behind the scenes.

UFC 298 (pay-per-view, ESPN, ESPN+) takes place Saturday at Honda Center in Anaheim, Calif.

In the main event, UFC featherweight champion Alexander Volkanovski (26-3 MMA, 13-2 UFC) attempts another successful title defense, this time against Ilia Topuria (14-0 MMA, 6-0 UFC). Middleweight contenders Paulo Costa (14-2 MMA, 6-2 UFC) and Robert Whittaker (24-7 MMA, 15-5 UFC) face off in a long-awaited showdown in the co-main event.

Also on the card, a grudge match between Ian Machado Garry (13-0 MMA, 6-0 UFC) and Geoff Neal (15-5 MMA, 7-3 UFC) finally materializes after Henry Cejudo (16-3 MMA, 10-3 UFC) and Merab Dvalishivili (16-4 MMA, 9-2 UFC) jostle for position atop the bantamweight division.

The fifth episode of “Embedded” follows the featured fighters while they get ready for fight week. Here is the UFC’s description of the episode from YouTube:

“Champ Alex Volkanovski trains. Robert Whittaker and Henry Cejudo talk to the broadcast team. Merab Dvalishvili suits up for the presser. Whittaker faces off with Paulo Costa; Volkanovski dozes as Ilia Topuria eyes his belt.”

Also see:

• UFC 298 ‘Embedded,’ No. 1: Ian Machado Garry, Charles Oliveira bring in the birds
• UFC 298 ‘Embedded,’ No. 2: ‘This old man’s still going, trust me.’
• UFC 298 ‘Embedded,’ No. 3: Get up in your feelings, ’cause Geoff Neal’s luggage is all of us
• UFC 298 ‘Embedded,’ No. 4: Chef Alexander Volkanovski serves team despite cutting weight

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 298.