Alexander Volkanovski opens up on Topuria defeat

Alexander Volkanovski present openly admits that helium was wrong; helium returned to the octagon prematurely aft his decision by Islam Makhachev and suffered a knockout from Ilia Topuria. The masterful combatant of Macedonian roots held the archetypal spot connected the UFC's P4P ranking for a while, but his vocation experienced a large diminution owed to the decisions helium made successful a abbreviated play of time.

The archetypal large mistake was against Islam Mahačev connected "short notice". Volk replaced the injured Charles Oliveira, though galore thought it was unwise. However, his warring tone guided him and helium agreed to the match. Unfortunately, Makhachev knocked him retired with a precocious footwear already successful the archetypal round, which was his 2nd lucifer against Makhachev. After the archetypal five-round match, which offered fantabulous resistance, this rematch ended successful a dense defeat.

Four months aboriginal helium made an adjacent bigger mistake. Although helium was advised to instrumentality a longer break, Volkanovski decided to combat Ilya Topuria, 1 of the astir unsafe punchers connected the UFC roster. He believed that the nonaccomplishment to Makhachev would not impact him, but Topuria knocked him retired successful the 2nd round. Volk admits today:

"I came backmost excessively aboriginal aft the nonaccomplishment to Makhachev, I got knocked retired and I mislaid the belt. I don't privation to diminish Ilya's victory, but these are the facts and that's however things turned out. I got a hard footwear to the caput with the little leg, and it's evident that Ilya hits hard. I've ne'er fallen dormant similar that. I was knocked retired for a fewer minutes. Can I accidental that this wouldn't person happened if Islam hadn't knocked maine retired first? I don't know, Topuria is surely susceptible of knocking maine out. I've ever said that the lone mode I tin suffer is if a knockout creator gets maine with a bully punch."

Volkanovski shares his feeling

Volkanovski honestly explained his feelings during the match:

"But I surely didn't combat similar I usually do. I was acrophobic of getting deed and I was panicking. I retrieve my thoughts going successful 2 directions. At the aforesaid clip I was trying not to get hit, but I was besides telling myself: 'You're fine, everything's fine'. If I was truthful worried, wherefore didn't I effort to sound him down and support him down? Because astatine the aforesaid clip I was telling myself that I was good and that I shouldn't beryllium afraid. It was awkward and hard for me."

Break and comeback

After the decision by Topuria, Alexander took a agelong interruption of much than a year. He returned successful April of this year, fought for the vacant featherweight belt, defeated Diego Lopes and regained the belt. His adjacent combat is expected astatine the extremity of the year, and Lerone Murphy is listed arsenic the main contender for the belt.