Alexander Volkanovski makes sly remark supposedly backing Dan Hooker's claim of Islam Makhachev using an IV for UFC 284
Dan Hooker recently accused Islam Makhachev of cheating in his UFC 284 title bout against Alexander Volkanovski. The No.11-ranked lightweight claimed that the lightweight champion used an IV to replenish himself following the weigh-ins.
Now, Volkanovski has seemingly supported his teammates' claim. Speaking to Ariel Helwani on The MMA Hour, 'The Great' stated:
"I ended up weighing myself. I think I was like 76 [or] 77 kilograms so maybe 170 or just under 170 [pounds]... What would 80 [or] 81 kilograms? 178 or 180 [pounds], I think [Islam Makhachev] would have been. I've heard he gets up to 180, like 83 kilograms closely. You fill up pretty quick on the IV's and stuff like that... Maybe that's a little shot at him."
IV has been banned by the sport since 2015. While it is unclear if Alexander Volkanovski was joking or serious, the interview was reportedly filmed prior to Dan Hooker's allegations.
The featherweight champion has shared that he would like a rematch with Islam Makhachev at some point in the future. For now, however, he will most likely defend his featherweight title against interim champion Yair Rodriguez.
Watch Alexander Volkanovski's comments on Islam Makhachev below:
Dan Hooker called Islam Makhachev a "cheating dog" after his UFC 284 bout with Alexander Volkanovski
Islam Makhachev was able to defeat Alexander Volkanovski via unanimous decision at UFC 284. While many disagreed with the decision of the judges, Dan Hooker took things a step further, accusing the lightweight champion of cheating.
In a post shared to his Twitter account, the No.11-ranked lightweight stated:
"Dumb c**t thinks he can fly to Australia hire a nurse to give him an I.V and we won’t find out. Cheating dog."
After calling out the United States Anti-Doping Agency, or USADA, for not doing anything, Hooker went on to challenge fans to prove him wrong. 'The Hangman' was then asked who he was talking about and he wasted no time in calling out the lightweight champion, stating:
"Islam is a cheat."
Hooker previously faced Makhachev as a short-notice replacement at UFC 267 despite also fighting at UFC 266. The No.11-ranked lightweight lost the bout via submission in the first round.
It is unclear if anything will come from his accusations against the lightweight champion. However, USADA will reportedly follow up on the claim.
Check out Dan Hooker's tweets accusing Islam Makhachev of cheating below: