When Alexander Volkanovski lost big after placing extra zero on bet against Ilia Topuria
UFC featherweight champion Alexander Volkanovski had once bet against his upcoming opponent Ilia Topuria and accidentally lost a significant sum.
It was only Topuria's third fight in the UFC against Ryan Hall on the preliminary card of UFC 264: Poirier vs. McGregor 3. Volkanovski intended to place a small bet on Hall but added an extra zero to his bet by mistake and ended up regretting it later.
As the fight was going on, 'The Great' took to X (formerly Twitter) and wrote:
"Thought I’d put a little bet on Ryan Hall than accidentally added a zero so we winning big or losing big! #ufc264"
Check out Alexander Volkanovski's post on X below:
The post was also featured on the live broadcast of Topuria vs Hall with just about half the first round elapsed in their matchup. Volkanovski did not reveal the exact amount that he bet against Topuria.
Check out a screenshot of the broadcast below on Reddit:
However, Topuria made short work of the former The Ultimate Fighter winner and won via a barrage of punches with just 13 seconds to spare in the opening round. The win marked Topuria's 11th straight win and 10th via knockout.
Check out the full highlights of Ryan Hall vs Ilia Topuria at UFC 264 on YouTube:
How fans reacted to Alexander Volkanovski's bet against Ilia Topuria
Alexander Volkanovski's betting integrity was questioned by fans on Reddit who mentioned the subsequent ban placed on UFC fighters from betting on UFC events after the James Krause controversy.
One fan compared the circumstances to soccer while one tried to work out the amount Volkanovski bet:
"Anyone else think it’s weird that a world champ gets to openly bet on a fight in his division? Not necessarily good or bad, just… weird. Football (soccer) is insanely strict on betting, see the recent Ivan Toney case. Kinda shocking to see Alex so casually mention a bet he’s placed on someone he would later go on to compete against."
"Volk’s bet and I mean Volk’s bet was pre Krause getting caught. Appears he was doing dodging shit for years."
Another fan was bewildered by Alexander Volkanovski's decision to bet on Ryan Hall despite Ilia Topuria being the clear pick for the winner:
"In retrospect it's crazy anyone put money on hall. topurias base is grappling and while he probably wouldn't win a jiu-jitsu match with hall it's mma and we already knew who was the faster, stronger, and superior striker. Though of course listening to rogan you would assume hall was seconds away from obliterating ilias knee."
Volkanovski will take on Topuria for his sixth title defense in the main event of UFC 298 on Feb. 17, 2024.