“You don’t get scared of getting hit and punched and hurt. You get scared of losing. I am worried about getting hit because that could cost me the fight and lose.” Alexander Volkanovski recently stated in an interview with Kevin Iole. Think about it! The man who was once on his way to becoming the greatest 145fer of all time now finds himself in limbo. Remember his tears wrapped in blood at the UFC 294 post-fight presser acknowledging his mental blocks and the urge to take that last-minute glory shot against Islam Makhachev? That was vulnerability! Moreover, a stark reminder that even the best are not safe from the realities of the fighting world. A kingdom at one moment, ashes the next. Unfortunately, this is the nature of combat sports and has always been.
But many would debate the circumstances surrounding that bout. 11 days’ notice and all but what unfolded at UFC 298 was even murkier. The king was dethroned in his own weight class as Ilia Topuria flatlined ‘Volk’ and took his featherweight crown. Talk about a bad dream, talk about a dark reality! The Aussie ace has seen it all. But as they say, the king claimed the throne for a reason! And at UFC 314, the former champ will once again try to clinch the strap against Diego Lopes and prove the naysayers wrong. But at 36 years old and his chin being shattered twice in back-to-back bouts, does ‘Volk’ have what it takes to do it all over again? It seems that former double champ Henry Cejudo doesn’t have much confidence!
In an interview with the Schmo, Henry said, “Can you defend it though? I don’t think it’s the same Volk man and I personally think Diego Lopes is gonna beat him. I really do! But, if Volkanovski does get it done. Yeah, he gets it done. That’s not Ilia Topuria that he’s going to beat. That’s what I’m saying, if you really look at the division, and then what happened with Volkanovski and how Diego Lopes kinda went in there.”
The former two-division champion added, “It’s like, it could’ve been a lot of other contenders too, other than Volkanovksi or maybe Diego Lopes, you know what I’m saying? Look at the rankings, look at who they kind of went through. Particularly Volkanovski, he has done some amazing things at 145 pounds. But he has also gone through three losses against the best in the world. But that’s still three, and two out of them were knockouts.”
For those who might not remember, Henry Cejudo and Alexander Volkanovski’s social media exchanges have often turned contentious. And after Volkanovski went to war with Brian Ortega at UFC 266, ‘Triple C’ revealed the term “Alexander the Average.” So, it’s really not shocking to see Cejudo stepping in as a major critic now that Volkanovski has experienced consecutive losses. Contrarily, the former two-division champion also understands from his audaciously earned experiences that it’s tough to get back in the win column after facing a monumental setback.
MMA: UFC 290 – Volkanovski vs Rodriguez Jul 8, 2023 Las Vegas, Nevada. USA Alexander Volkanovski red gloves prior to the fight against Yair Rodriguez blue gloves during UFC 290 at T-Mobile Arena. Las Vegas T-Mobile Arena Nevada USA, EDITORIAL USE ONLY PUBLICATIONxINxGERxSUIxAUTxONLY Copyright: xStephenxR.xSylvaniex 20230708_szo_cs1_0307
When it comes to Volkanovski’s reign as the featherweight champion, the only way to describe it is relentless dominance. From 2019 to 2022, he looked untouchable — a machine with unmatched cardio, fight IQ, and grit. Not many fighters can say they’ve outclassed Max Holloway once, let alone three times. That alone puts Volkanovski in rare air. Even Ilia Topuria can only boast about one win over ‘Blessed.’ But Volkanovski wasn’t content with just ruling the 145-pound division. In true champion fashion, he chased greatness by stepping up to challenge the best lightweight in the world, aiming to become a two-division king.
And despite whispers of decline, ‘The Great’ gave Makhachev the fight of his life at UFC 284 before falling at UFC 294 as mentioned above. However, between the two Makhachev fights, he silenced doubters in emphatic fashion at UFC 290. This is where he dismantled the dangerous Yair Rodriguez and reinforced his legacy as one of the all-time greats at featherweight.
Volkanovski understands that he’s up against another formidable challenge that can change the trajectory of his title aspirations in the future, knowing that he spends a lot of time studying his opponents before engaging with them inside the octagon. We can expect a spectacle at the UFC 314 main event. He also believes Lopes is a stylistically good match-up for him.
Alexander Volkanovski is in no mood to underestimate Diego Lopes ahead of UFC 314
It is safe to say that Alexander Volkanovski doesn’t underestimate his opponents. This is because the Aussie is always equipped and wise enough to break down what could provide him an edge against his adversaries. And ahead of his UFC 314 title bout, the former champ knows that the Brazilian is a threat and that he must be careful inside the cage dealing with him.
While talking to Demetrious Johnson on the MightCast podcast, ‘Volk’ said, “He is a dangerous fighter, an exciting fighter, people are gonna tune in. There’s a bit of hype around him. Stylistically he’s a great match-up for me, obviously. He’s dangerous and he’s definitely gonna have a puncher’s chance. He has got that submission threat. I’ve proved too many times that Imma be alright in there when it comes to grappling, but you know? I am sure he is thinking different. He’s thinking he can show me something that I haven’t seen and I’m okay with that.”
What do you think? Can Volkanovski make a grand return? Or he will again find himself at the bitter end? Comment your thoughts below.
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