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Alexander Volkanovski plans to “humble” Ilia Topuria so badly at UFC 298, fans and commentators will almost immediately start calling for him to get another crack at lightweight gold.
Australia’s UFC featherweight king has also suggested the undefeated Georgian is not the fighter he has talked himself up to be — or, at least, has yet to prove his own hype — while also laughing off suggestions his own famed fight style could change after being kayoed for the first time in his career.
Despite twice losing to UFC lightweight king Islam Makhachev in 2023 — including a brutal first round KO last October — Volkanovski will look to defend his own strap for a sixth straight time against Topuria in California, February 18.
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Speaking at a UFC press conference in Sydney on Friday – where he was joined by fellow fighters Robert Whittaker and Justin Tafa – ‘Volk’ took the big stick to a rival who has already suggested becoming champ will be among the easiest fights of his career.
While Whittaker talked of “bringing back the animal” when he faces Brazilian Paulo Costa on the same card, and Tafa — unsurprisingly — spoke of winning his own UFC 298 showdown by knockout, it was Volkanovski who produced the biggest line with his promise to get a third lightweight shot — and soon.
Apart from “ending the hype” surrounding Topuria, who is undefeated in all 14 professional appearances, the champ also suggested his latest title challenger was not as good a fighter as he was talking himself up to be.
The King of Windang then also immediately doubled down when asked by a journalist, given his consecutive losses to Makhachev, if his dream of fighting for UFC lightweight gold was now over?
“Definitely not,” the champ replied to raucous applause from the Crown Casino crowd.
“Obviously I’m a realist, I’m not expecting a rematch straight away.
“I also know people are going to see my age, be doubting, asking ‘is his time done?’.
“And that’s hyping up this fight, so I’m good with it.
“But (after beating Topuria) everyone is going to be reminded, switching a full 180 degrees saying ‘there is nothing left for him at 145’.
“They’ll want me to go take that lightweight belt and that’s what I plan on doing.”
Asked about Topuria, Volkanovski continued: “Look, he’s a dangerous opponent.
“He probably hasn’t proved himself against the top guys … but that doesn’t mean he’s not as good as he says he is.
“We get to find that out.
“Everyone has a puncher’s chance and to be honest I think that’s all he has got.
“Given how experienced I am, how calculated I am and my fight IQ, I get it done.
“He’s young, dangerous, has a lot of hype around him … but that all ends in a couple of weeks.”
Speaking soon after of the challenger, the champ continued: “I plan on showing there is levels.
“He thinks he’s the best.
“Thinks he’s the man.
“Thinks he is the top of the division.
“But he hasn’t faced anyone right up there.
“If he ever gets to that point where he is a champion, he needs what I plan to do to him.
“I’m going to give him a good humbling.
“Maybe he can bounce back after that. Learn a thing or too.
“He’s going to be given a lesson.”
Volkanovski stressed he was going to give Topuria the type of beating he needed if he is ever to become a world champion himself.
“And I’m not trying to throw a heap of shade at him,” he said.
“But I don’t think he’s as good as he says he is.
“(And) he hasn’t shown us he’s as good as he says.
“Hasn’t been put in a position against the top athletes to show us that.
“But now we get to see what he’s made of.
“And I’m preparing for a man as good as he says he is.
“But if you’re not up to that standard, it’s going to be a humbling experience.
“And he needs it.”
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Volkanovski also stressed the win would be “the perfect ending to the story” – referencing question marks around exactly where his career is at following the Makhachev KO loss at UFC 294.
A fight, too, that Volkanovski came off the couch for, signing on for his second shot at UFC ‘champ champ’ immortality on just 12 days notice.
“I don’t hate the guy, he’s hyping the fight up,” he continued of Topuria.
“I love that.
“All I have to do is go out there and teach him a lesson and that will be the perfect ending to the story.
“Especially coming off the last fight, there are a lot of people doubting me.
“Talking up that he’s undefeated.
“So I get to show where I’m at.”
Asked if his fight style had been impacted after being knocked cold for the first time, he continued: “A lot of people have asked that, ‘do you worry about getting caught?’.
“Which is funny for me
“I’ve always been calculated.
“I believe in myself, I’m very confident and I think for a lot of these guys, the only way they can beat me is to catch me.
“So I’ve always fought like that, (always) going to be calculated.
“But unless I’m being asked about the knockout I’m not even thinking about it.
“But again, it’s all part of the story.”
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