Alexander Volkanovski explains why Yair Rodriguez is one of his "most dangerous" opponents yet, but not his most difficult fight
Alexander Volkanovski will return to featherweight to defend his title against Yair Rodriguez in the main event of UFC 290 next weekend.
'The Great' has reigned supreme at 145 pounds since winning the title againast Max Holloway at UFC 245 in December 2019. Volkanovski has seperated himself from the rest of the division through a series of unbelievable performances, but the Australian appears fully aware of the danger that Rodriguez poses.
As UFC commentator Jon Anik would say, Yair Rodriguez is "one of one", as his fighting style is one of the most unique and exciting styles to have graced the sport. 'El Pantera' holds a black belt in Taekwando, which he began at age five, and Rodriguez holds a deadly arsenal of kicks, knees, punches and elbows.
Alexander Volkanovski recently previewed his UFC 290 main event matchup during an interview with Daniel Cormier and Ryan Clark on DC & RC. 'The Great' explained why Rodriguez is arguably his most dangerous opponent yet, but not his most difficult fight:
"He's very unpredictable. But we all know that I prepare and I do what I need to do. Again, he's very dangerous, he's got a lot of tools that come from everywhere. When you talk about unpredictable, and dangerous, I think [Yair] is right up there. I think he's one of the most dangerous guys I've probably ever faced. But would I say [that] he's one of the hardest fights I've had? No, there's probably a lot of ways I can win this. Dangerous? I think he's definitely one of the most dangerous fighters I've ever faced. That's how seriously I'm taking Yair."
Watch the video below from 28:48:
Alexander Volkanovski will be hoping to make it a sixth UFC title defense against Yair Rodriguez at UFC 290. 'The Great' has looked unstoppable at featherweight over his last few fights, and it will be fascinating to see how 'El Pantera' navigates the champion's style.
Alexander Volkanovski welcomes the challenge of Ilia Topuria
Ilia Topuria put the featherweight division on notice with what could be a career-defining performance against Josh Emmett in the main event of UFC Jacksonville last weekend.
Topuria dominated his opponent from start to finish, and following the bout, he called Alexander Volkanovski out.
'The Great', who is set to face Yair Rodriguez next, welcomed the challenge posed by Ilia Topuria. Volkanovski recently appeared on the DC & RC show hosted by Daniel Cormier and Ryan Clark, where he spoke about possibly facing Topuria.
He said this:
"I'm hearing a lot of people mentioning Ilia fighting other guys [next], and I'm like, 'No, don't do it! Just give me a contender.'... the more I speak, the less I'm gonna hype up the fight..."