Alexander Volkanovski says he doesn’t regret fighting Islam Makhachev on short notice and also doesn’t regret not taking more time off before fighting Ilia Topuria:
“I don’t regret it, that’s who I am, that’s what made me the champion I was…
AdvertisementIf I wasn’t the guy who would… pic.twitter.com/0Pzhncx2gM
— Home of Fight (@Home_of_Fight) October 28, 2024
Alexander Volkanovski doesn’t regret the decision to make a quick turnaround ahead of his most recent knockout loss.
Volkanovski replaced Charles Oliveira on 11 days’ notice to challenge Islam Makhachev for the lightweight title at UFC 294 in October 2023. Volkanovski went on to suffer a brutal head kick knockout loss against Makhachev in his second failed double-champ bid. “The Great” put his featherweight title on the line soon after against Ilia Topuria at UFC 298 this past February. Volkanovski went on to lose his strap via another devastating knockout in the second stanza. Many believe Volkanovski should not have fought Makhachev on such short notice and should have at least taken some time off after the knockout loss.
However, Volkanovski doesn’t regret those decisions, even if the results didn’t favor him. Known for stepping up on short notice, the Australian believes his dominant championship reign was a result of that mentality. However, the former champ does regret not being in his best shape before the rematch against Makhachev at UFC 294.
“No, I don’t regret it. That’s who I am,” Volkanovski recently told Ariel Helwani. “That’s what made me the champion that I was. Now a lot of people think that was just a bad idea. But if you look at it going in, that’s me challenging myself… The only thing I regret is, especially before the Islam one – I just wish I was more prepared. I wish I was training more and in a better position. But I do not regret taking them fights because that’s just who I’ve been.”
Volkanovski mainly trains at the Freestyle Fighting Gym in New South Wales, Australia, under the tutelage of head coach Joe Lopez while also alternating between City Kickboxing in New Zealand and Tiger Muay Thai in Thailand. Many of those who perceive Volkanovski’s quick turnarounds as bad decisions blame his team for it. However, Volkanovski defends his team, saying they were just standing with him in the choices he made.
“A lot of people are gonna be hard on the team saying it was the team’s fault,” he said. “But let’s be real. Everyone knows what I’m like. And at the end of the day it is gonna come down to what I say. Your team are gonna do the best they can until you go otherwise. But everyone knew I wanted that fight. The team I have around me there, they’re gonna accept the challenges that I’m willing to do and take it on.”
Alexander Volkanovski defends his team from the criticism they received for allowing him to fight Ilia Topuria so soon after suffering his KO loss against Islam Makhachev:
“A lot of people are gonna be hard on the team, saying it was the team’s fault but let’s be real… pic.twitter.com/iGap9LKVED
— Home of Fight (@Home_of_Fight) October 28, 2024
While Volkanovski has dropped three of his last four, two of them were lightweight title challenges against Makhachev. “The Great” is seemingly the most likely contender for the next title shot at featherweight after Topuria defended his strap by knocking out Max Holloway for the first time at UFC 308 last weekend.
