Alexander Volkanovski says he is in a “pressure-free space” ahead of his unexpected rematch against lightweight champion Islam Makhachev.
The Australian was propelled into the main event of UFC 294 after Charles Oliveira’s decision to withdraw from his fight against Makhachev (24-1), after suffering lacerations above his right eye during the final stages of training camp.
Volkanovski (26-2) wasted no time in taking on the challenge, even if it only means 11 days to prepare for what is shaping up to be the biggest fight of his career. But while many focus on the negatives of such a short training camp, the 35-year-old featherweight champion believes his eleventh-hour call-up has many advantages.
“Everyone points out all the downsides, and there are a lot of them, but there are definitely upsides to having such short notice,” Volkanovski told ESPN. “The fact that I’m fresh, mentally and physically, is going to be unreal. I didn’t have the pressure all camp. I didn’t have the pressure to follow all these game plans. Fighting is the part the easiest. [and] I can go in there and literally make this part easy and fun.
“Preparation is no fun. Don’t get me wrong, I’m disciplined, I’m going to do it. If you see me training during camp, it’s hard work. But I haven’t had exhausting myself with all these injuries, I can go there without any marks on me, fresh as a daisy.
“I’ve never had such a clear vision of what I’m going to do there, which seems weird because I’ve had so little time. [In other fights] I’m preparing for the worst. I don’t have time to prepare for the worst and I’m trying to figure out what to do. If there’s anyone who can take on this fight on such short notice, it’s me, and when I raise my hand, everyone will consider it a blessing. “Volk on eleven days’ notice” is a dangerous man. »
Makhachev and Volkanovski produced one of the fights of the year when they stepped into the Octagon at UFC 284 in February. After five very entertaining and grueling rounds, it was Makhachev who received the approval of the judges, albeit in a near unanimous decision. It was Volkanovski’s first defeat in a decade.
Volkanovski has since returned to winning ways with a third-round TKO of Yair Rodriguez at UFC 290 in July. This was the Australian’s fifth successful featherweight title defense; the second largest in division history. Meanwhile, Makhachev has remained inactive and next weekend’s fight in Abu Dhabi against Volkanovski will be his first since getting the better of the Australian in Perth.
“I kind of thought about him,” Volkanovski said of Makhachev. “There are certainly a lot of things that I remember [the first fight]. I could do a lot of things differently, and I knew that even when I was in the Octagon. I know what I have to do. Islam, I’m getting off the couch, you better do something because this is going to be a nightmare for you.”
Despite the result in their last meeting, ESPN ranks Volkanovski as the No. 1 pound-for-pound fighter in the world, with Makhachev at No. 2. But against Volkanovski is the fact that no fighter in UFC history has won a title. division title after being replaced on such short notice.
“It’s just another thing that I can say that I’ve done that no one else has done; that excites me even more,” Volhanovski told ESPN. “I’ve proven time and time again that I’m not an average fighter. I have this confidence in myself. The bigger the challenge, the more it excites me. I don’t know if it’s a question of ego., but I know that I am the ideal man for this job.
“If I go there and take that risk and things don’t go as planned, I won’t get that chance again. There’s a lot on the line for me, but if I go there and I’m doing what I plan to do, we’re talking about a legacy that’s growing in size. You’re really separating yourself from the rest. You’re really doing things that no one else would do. I’m in a position where I can prove that I’m that guy. I guarantee I’m going to shock the world next week.
