"I couldn't believe how nervous he was" - Alexander Volkanovski on Arnold Allen's win over Dan Hooker at UFC London
Alexander Volkanovski has given his thoughts on Dan Hooker's bout against Arnold Allen this past weekend.
When it was first noted that Hooker wanted to go back down to featherweight, many fans quickly realized that 'The Hangman' could wind up facing his friend and fellow City Kickboxing member Alexander Volkanovski down the road.
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However, last Saturday night, Hooker fell short in his attempt to get back on the winning trail as he was finished in the first round by Allen. Volkanovski, who is always watching the 145-pound division closely, had some thoughts on what went down. He told Submission Radio:
“It’s always tough to see people you know not having things go their way, especially when you know how much they want it. He’s making big moves, cutting the weight to try and commit to this division, so you know he’s not just doing it for a pay check or anything like that. He wanted to take this all the way. I thought he looked great at the weigh-in, obviously it might not have had anything to do with the performance, you never know.”
He added:
“Arnold, I knew he was a tough fight anyway, he’s no joke. Dan was putting the pressure on which I thought was okay, because I did notice Arnold looking very nervous. He ended up saying that after the fight and I remember thinking man, he looks so nervous. I couldn’t believe how nervous he was.”
Watch Volkanovski's interview on Submission Radio below:
What's next for Alexander Volkanovski?
On April 9 at UFC 273, Alexander Volkanovski will square off against 'The Korean Zombie' as he attempts to successfully defend his UFC featherweight title for the third time.
He was initially scheduled to take on Max Holloway in a trilogy bout that fans have been calling for ever since their rematch. Alas, an injury to Holloway ensured that wouldn't be happening, with South Korea's Chan Sung Jung getting the call to replace him in Jacksonville. The winner is likely to take on 'Blessed', who is the current number one contender.
The featherweight division is moving at a pretty quick pace right now, with Volkanovski knowing he has plenty of contenders ahead of him. It remains to be seen how things will play out at 145 pounds.