"Trying to be the best father" - Alexander Volkanovski addresses 'raw emotions' at UFC 294 post-fight press conference
UFC featherweight king Alexander Volkanovski has shed light on his emotional comments at the UFC 294 post-fight press conference.
Volkanovski stepped up on short notice to lock horns against Islam Makhachev in the UFC 294 main event. The fight was a short-lived affair that ended in a first-round knockout victory for Makhachev.
At the post-fight press conference, 'The Great' got emotional and started speaking about his need to fight on a consistent basis.
Volkanovski's comments got MMA fans concerned about his mental health. So, the Australian recently uploaded a video to his YouTube channel, addressing his statement on October 21.
Volkanovski shared that a combination of several factors, including his recent knockout loss, surgery, and low activity in the gym, contributed to his emotions at the post-fight press conference:
"I think people gotta remember that I did obviously have a bit going on and I just got tagged you know, I just got knocked out... All these things come into play and so that was obviously hurting me... Even though I'm fine, I'm sort of glad you guys got to see that sort of raw emotion... I mean the newborn, surgery, not being in the gym as much as I'd like, then again, trying to be the best father I can be, obviously can take a lot away from the training, especially when you're coming off injuries... It was just me trying to deal with being a high-performance athlete and not being able to fulfill that side of things, especially in the last few months."
Check out Volkanovski's comments from the 2:40 mark below:
What did Khabib Nurmagomedov say about Alexander Volkanovski after UFC 294?
Ahead of UFC 294, Khabib Nurmagomedov had joined Islam Makhachev's fight camp in Abu Dhabi. After the event, 'The Eagle' took to social media to shower praise on 145-pound king Alexander Volkanovski.
Nurmagomedov uploaded a picture of 'The Great' and Makhachev to his Instagram stories. In the caption, 'The Eagle' expressed his admiration for the UFC featherweight champion:
"We respect Alex so much and wish him all the best. He is a very nice man and a great champion with a big heart," wrote Khabib Nurmagomedov.
![Khabib Nurmagomedov praises Alexander Volkanovski [via Instagram @khabib_nurmagomedov]](https://staticg.sportskeeda.com/editor/2023/10/c2913-16981617674820-1920.jpg?w=500)