"It was a bad idea" - Alexander Volkanovski is wary of rushing octagon return like he did after KO loss to Islam Makhachev
Former UFC featherweight champion Alexander Volkanovski suffered a second straight knockout loss at the hands of Ilia Topuria at UFC 298.
His previous knockout loss came at the hands of Islam Makhachev at UFC 294 last year. The back-to-back defeats have been heavily scrutinized for the quick turnaround time in between them. On his YouTube channel, after losing his featherweight championship, Volkanovski revealed his conflicted mindset in the fight.
He also assured fans that he won't do a quick turnaround once again and will allow his body to recuperate.
“I was in two minds in there, I was fighting like, I can’t get caught but trying to tell myself no, no, you’re all good, come on you got to start fighting your fight. So it was a tricky one. That makes me take this seriously. Obviously, it’s two in a row now. I’m not planning on having a quick turnaround like I did probably after the October fight with Islam [UFC 294]. The months between the two fights, you know some people are going to say it was a bad idea. Again, I thought we did everything right, but maybe there was something there.”
Volkanovski spoke about taking an extended layover from the sport. He also explained how being a champion pressured him into being more active.
“Yeah, well, exactly [bigger break next]. I’m going to let the head rest a little, Well the thing is, being a champion or even before being a champion, I had my goal was to be champion, to be the best and it’s a commitment and I committed to it. The best are going to do that. It was the training schedule and being and working around life. I felt like that was a responsibility. Being a champion, I had to be busy.”
Check out Alexander Volkanovski's full comments below (3:20):
Coach Eugene Bareman calls for immediate rematch for Alexander Volkanovski
Despite concerns surrounding Alexander Volkanovski's physical state and the impact of two heavy knockout losses, his coach Eugene Bareman believes an immediate rematch is the way to go.
Bareman spoke in an interview with Combat TV, and stated that Volkanovski was deserving of a rematch against Ilia Topuria.
He argued Volkanovski's case citing his longevity and multiple title defenses:
“I can’t divulge too much but I’m obviously in the camp that he deserves a rematch. I think he’s done everything that he needs to do as a champion... He’s been a long-standing champion, he’s defended many times, fought through injuries, taken fights on short notice for the company. He checks every box there is in relation to getting an immediate rematch."
Check out Eugene Bareman's full comments on Alexander Volkanovski below (1:36):