At one time limit, Alexander Volkanovski was on prime of the world in additional methods than one. Close to the top of 2023, his legacy as an all-time nice within the sport had firmly been cemented after defending his featherweight strap in opposition to Yair Rodríguez, making it the fifth consecutive time he had retained his belt.
Alexander Volkanovski Goes Down in Defeat In UFC 284
He additionally placed on one of many best performances of his life versus the reigning light-weight champion Islam Makhachev at UFC 284 in his native Australia. The bout ended up going to the judges’ scorecards, the place “The Nice” suffered his first loss in nearly ten years by unanimous choice, however not earlier than nearly ending the Russian within the waning seconds of the struggle.
Sadly, that October, Alexander Volkanovski accepted a rematch in opposition to Islam Makhachev on 11 days’ discover UFC 294, the place the 145-lb customary was dominantly completed within the very first spherical through a spotlight reel head kick. He then returned to his personal division 4 months later to defend his personal belt in opposition to the streaking Ilia Topuria at UFC 298.
Sadly, regardless of taking the primary spherical on the playing cards, Volkanovski discovered himself on the receiving finish of an enormous proper hook from Topuria, collapsing to the bottom lifelessly in his first defeat at featherweight ever.
Alexander Volkanovski Provides Tips to New Fighters Beginning Out Careers
Whereas his ends in the cage have begun to dwindle within the seemingly twilight years of his blended martial arts profession, Volkanovski has encountered a serious quantity of success as a content material creator on YouTube in between his UFC appearances.
With a staggering subscriber rely of 538,000, his channel stands as one of many largest in your complete MMA neighborhood in relation to fighters.
Lately, Alexander Volkanovski launched an end-of-the-year Q&A, the place he answered the highest questions requested by his followers. One in every of these questions simply occurred to be “What would you say to an 18-year previous beginning his beginner profession?”
“Effectively, I began once I was 22, so that you’re by no means too previous”, Alexander Volkanovski started. “As I acknowledged earlier on, in the event you actually need to take it significantly, if you wish to be the perfect, if you wish to go someplace, simply do what everybody else isn’t prepared to do. And that’s placing in that further work, sacrifices.”
“If you do go in there, you get within the repetitions, you’re profitable fights, get straight again within the fitness center getting higher. Don’t simply sit there and be like ‘Cool, issues are going good, I can chill right here,’ no, you need to be the perfect, it’s a full-time dedication. That beats expertise each single time,” stated Volkanovski.
“You get quite a lot of guys who can solely get thus far with their expertise. You need to be there late, you need to be the perfect on this planet at any sport, or profitable at something in life? That’s the blokes which might be extra prepared to do greater than the others.”
These phrases of recommendation fully spell out the illustrious profession that Alexander Volkanovski has had within the sport. Though he might have been in his mid 30’s in the course of the peak of his championship reign, in addition to the shorter man in most of his UFC bouts, “The Nice” totally devoted himself to his coaching and preparation.
This unyielding devotion to perfecting his craft allowed him to stay on the prime of the 145-lb division for greater than 4 years, and even introduced him to the precipice of a second belt at light-weight.
The place Does Alexander Volkanovski Go in 2025?
Though he might have misplaced his title in horrifying style to the undefeated Topuria, Volkanovski nonetheless stands as one of many best lively opponents on the roster. Having held his belt with three wins over Max Holloway, and after filling in on quick discover in opposition to Makhachev, pundits and followers imagine the previous featherweight king is greater than entitled to a rematch with “El Matador.”
Ought to Volkanovski get his want to win again his title, the Spaniard will undoubtedly be a heavy favourite to defend, and may he handle to starch “The Nice” as soon as extra, it may imply the top of Volkanovski’s profession. Nonetheless, the percentages have by no means stopped the Aussie from going out and placing all the pieces he has into his fights, and followers shouldn’t be all too stunned if Volkanovski can get it carried out in opposition to the seemingly invincible Topuria.
