Alexander Volkanovski understands the nature of MMA, where recent performance is paramount.
Once celebrated as potentially the greatest featherweight in history, the former champion faces numerous questions about his future as he prepares for UFC 314. This comes after suffering consecutive knockout losses to Islam Makhachev and Ilia Topuria. At 36, Volkanovski is also entering an age where lighter weight fighters often begin to decline. Therefore, he is not surprised that many are questioning his capabilities before he faces a rising contender like Diego Lopes.
“I think many will look at these losses and consider it a downturn, pointing to various factors,” Volkanovski mentioned on First Take. “The Makhachev fight was on short notice. I wanted a high-risk, high-reward opportunity. I felt prepared, but it didn`t go my way. Then, a quick turnaround, and I was caught again by Topuria.”
“Many will see this and think ‘he’s finished,’ and they are entitled to that opinion. But for me, based on my gym performance and preparation, I know I am not done. The only way to change perceptions is to perform this weekend and remind everyone. That’s exactly my intention.”
After the loss to Topuria in February, which followed the Makhachev knockout by just four months, Volkanovski intentionally took a year to recover physically and mentally.
During his absence, fighters like Lopes have rapidly climbed the featherweight rankings, generating significant anticipation for his UFC 314 fight on Saturday.
However, Volkanovski assures that his time off was not just a break, and he has been diligently working to ensure his next fight has a different outcome from his last two.
“Preparation is where you realize you still have it,” Volkanovski explained. “People will look at the last two losses and assume I’m done because of the time off. But in the gym, I and my training partners know I’m not. I can demonstrate this and remind everyone this weekend, which is the exciting part.”
“People tend to forget quickly, which is part of this sport. But they can also be quickly reminded, and that’s precisely what will happen this weekend.”
A disappointment surrounding his upcoming fight is that Volkanovski won’t have the chance to avenge his loss to Topuria immediately, as Topuria vacated the featherweight title to move to 155 pounds.
While he desired a rematch with Topuria, Volkanovski is not overly upset, as he still faces a fresh challenge in Lopes, who has been outstanding in the featherweight division recently.
“Naturally, I wanted the rematch with Ilia to prove myself and get that win back,” Volkanovski stated. “But at least I still get to compete against the new generation of fighters.”
“The sport is evolving, so I`m fighting a young, motivated fighter on a winning streak, making this the next best fight for the vacant belt.”
