NBA star Jamal Murray has select words for Alexander Volkanovski's comeback against Ilia Topuria
Jamal Murray has put forth his take regarding Alexander Volkanovski's highly-anticipated comeback fight against Ilia Topuria.
Reigning UFC featherweight champion Volkanovski has been beaten just twice in the UFC, both times by current UFC lightweight champion Islam Makhachev. In his most recent MMA bout, 'The Great' stepped in on 10 days' notice to replace an injured Charles Oliveira and fight Makhachev at UFC 294 in October 2023.
The Volkanovski-Makhachev clash at UFC 294 was a rematch, which witnessed Makhachev successfully defend his lightweight belt by beating 'The Great' via first-round KO (head kick). Following that, Volkanovski confirmed that he'll return to featherweight.
Presently, Volkanovski is scheduled to defend his UFC featherweight title against the undefeated Ilia Topuria at UFC 298 on February 17, 2024. This would be the Australian MMA stalwart's first fight since his vicious knockout loss against Makhachev.
During a recent media scrum, Volkanovski's friend and NBA player Jamal Murray indicated that he could possibly attend, or at the very least watch, his fight against Topuria. The Canadian basketball player, who'll likely compete as an All-Star in 2024, stated:
"Well, hopefully, he's coming to me because I'll be an All-Star. But either way, I'll try to find a way to see him. And yeah, we'll get a sparring session in."
A journalist asked the Denver Nuggets point guard about Volkanovski's comments concerning mental health. After his loss at UFC 294, 'The Great' had explained that he accepted the risky short-notice fight because he struggles with mental health if he doesn't compete frequently.
Empathizing with Alexander Volkanovski and alluding to how different MMA is from non-combat sports like basketball, Jamal Murray said:
"Oh yeah, I think it's a different mentality, though. Not for him. Obviously, it's not like, we turn it over, 'Oh!' You know, we made a shot. It's like, you know, the guy is fighting, getting hit in the face. So, you've got to prepare for that, mentally, physically, spiritually, emotionally. I think he's gonna bounce back like he always does and have the right mindset going into the next fight, which is going to be a great fight."
Check out Murray's comments below:
MMA legend outlines how Ilia Topuria could beat Alexander Volkanovski at UFC 298
Speaking to The Schmo, UFC Hall of Famer Urijah Faber recently discussed the much-awaited Alexander Volkanovski vs. Ilia Topuria showdown, which will transpire at UFC 298. 'The California Kid' emphasized that Topuria must avoid getting pushed against the cage or taken down.
Urijah Faber implied that Ilia Topuria could earn the distinction of becoming the first to defeat Alexander Volkanovski at featherweight, provided he's careful of the Australian fighter's offense on the feet, too. Moreover, alluding to the 26-year-old Topuria having the advantage of youth against the 35-year-old Volkanovski, Faber said:
“He’s just got to get really good at defending the takedowns. I think Volkanovski’s real strength is obviously, durability, which as age goes, it goes away a little bit."
Check out Faber's assessment below (4:20):