ALEXANDER VOLKANOVSKI stepped into the octagon for his rematch with Islam Makhachev last year believing in his heart of hearts that he would become a two-weight world champion.
But deep down, as he strode to the cage in enemy territory in Abu Dhabi, the beloved Australian was far from happy with himself.
GETTYAlexander Volkanovski took a rematch with Islam Makhachev on 11 days’ notice last October[/caption]
GETTYThe former pound-for-pound king suffered a brutal first-round KO loss[/caption]
GETTYVolkanovski wasn’t happy with who he was going into the fight[/caption]
INSTAGRAM@ALEXVOLKANOVSKIThe Aussie was drinking for two months straight before the Abu Dhabi dust-up[/caption]
Volaknovski’s opportunity to avenge his decision defeat to Makhachev came on a mere 11 days’ notice after former lightweight champion Charles Oliveira was forced to withdraw from his rematch with the pound-for-pound king due to injury.
The king of the featherweights said all the right things and oozed confidence ahead of the ill-fated rematch at UFC 294, which ended in him suffering his first-ever stoppage loss a little over three minutes after ref Marc Goddard commenced the bout.
But little did we know that the normally insanely disciplined Volkanovski had, by his high standards, gone somewhat off the rails by drinking every day in the two months that followed his last title defence last July.
The 35-year-old told SunSport: “I’ve been doing this sport for 13 years and I’ve been disciplined for all 13 years of them. But probably not those last two months.
“It’s crazy. I’m not angry [now]. At the time, backstage, when you see me upset, I was sort of angry with me making the decision.
“I blamed how I was – but it wasn’t that. If it was any other time, I still would have taken that fight. But I’m just very disappointed with the timing.
“Because usually, I’m in a much better position. It was like literally all that happened just to throw it in my face and to remind me why I need to be disciplined. It was like it was meant to be.”
“Even though there was a bit happening. I was coming off surgery and I wasn’t able to go in the gym, having a newborn and I wasn’t sleeping right and then I was drinking.
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AFPAlexander Volkanovski regrets not being disciplined in those two months[/caption]
“And then, obviously, that just rolls on and makes things a little more difficult. I’m talking just a couple of months.
“People think I do this every time between every fight, it’s not the case. Yeah, things get uneasy when you don’t have a goal.
“But I’m always trying to be like, ‘I’ll be a better fighter here, I’ll be a better fighter there.’
“You do get antsy, especially when you’re wondering, ‘How much longer am I going to be in my prime?’”
Volkanovski, by his own admission, has never been one to regularly indulge in alcohol when he’s not in training camp – a decision he’s still coming to grips with.
“It was just the timing of it that I was most upset about,” he said. “Because I’m not that guy, I’ve never been that guy.
“I’m not a drinker. I wasn’t where I should’ve been and wanted to be – ever – in those couple of months.
“And the fight gets offered to me on 11 days’ notice when I’m like that.”
Although he was fully aware of the fact he was far from the best version of himself, Volkanovski believed he could pull off a huge upset and further write his name into the MMA history books.
He said: “At the time, my mindset and my mentality, I literally told myself that I could win that.
“Even though I knew where I was. I thought, ‘This might make me the most dangerous I’ve ever been.
“‘Because I ain’t gonna win a five-round fight. I ain’t going to a decision. But I can go out there and I can catch him.
GettyAlexander Volkanovski returns to featherweight tomorrow morning to defend his featherweight title[/caption]
GettyHe faces murderous puncher and Georgian-born Spaniard Ilia Topuria at UFC 298[/caption]
“‘This will make me more dangerous because I know my only way of winning is if putting one on his chin.’
“But, obviously, I couldn’t pull the trigger and you saw that it didn’t feel right in there. And you could see that. And credit to Islam, he captialised on it.”
Further cementing his legacy is something Volk will do early tomorrow morning should he victorious in his sixth defence of the featherweight title at UFC 298.
Undefeated Georgian-born Spaniard Ilia Topuria will look to end fan favourite’s reign atop the division a little over three months after seeing Makhachev separate him from consciousness.
The proximity of the fights has seen many tip murderous puncher Topuria to usher in a new era in the 145lbs division in the California clash.
Topuria himself has promised to do just that with Hollywood-esque promo videos and the changing of his Instagram bio to “UFC World Champion Undefeated 15-0”, neither of which he currently is.
Volkanovski is loving the narrative that his best days may be behind him and that he – like many in the lower weight classes – will fall victim to the dreaded 35-year-old title fight curse.
So it’ll be extra satisfying to him when he reminds everyone he’s still the man at 145lbs by serving ‘El Matador’ a big slice of “humble” pie.
He said: “If you’re sitting there and having fancy glasses of wine at restaurants all the time and doing movies and wanting to be in movies and trying to play superstar, I’m gonna bring you back down to earth.
“I’m gonna humble you and do you a favour. I literally think that’s how it is.
“So even if he’s not a bad kid, whether he’s just playing the game, I still believe it’s getting to his head.”
GETTYAlexander Volkanovski can’t wait to “humble” Ilia Topuria[/caption]