Alexander Volkanovski has put his recent lightweight stint behind him as he looks to successfully defend his featherweight title for a sixth time this coming weekend at UFC 298.
Several times on the lead up to his fight with Ilia Topuria, Volkanovski has claimed that he will take the Spaniard to school and show him that there are levels to the game.
In his five prior title defenses, the betting line has never been this close, and Volkanovski believes this is the most he’s ever been counted out, as a champion.
“This would probably be the most, which is good like I said. It doesn’t get to me it’s building this fight up. If I didn’t go out there and do what happened in October, these conversations are much different, believe me.
“You’s can say what you ‘this is the guy (Topuria)’, we’ll see if he is. Post fight press conference it’s going to be a totally different conversation. You are all going to be all of a sudden saying, ‘man what are you going to do at featherweight there’s nothing left for you, look at what you’re doing to these guys’, so that’s how I’m looking at this fight, again I’ve prepared properly and I’m ready for a young hungry prospect to bring the fight, but I won’t be surprised and you shouldn’t be surprised if I make it look easy.”
Despite Volkanovski admittedly enjoying the way Topuria is promoting this fight, he believes this could end up being quite a humbling experience for the 27-year-old.
“He’s probably just playing the game and just doing a great job, good on him like I said I appreciate it. The good thing is hype and he’s doing all that but it can bite you in the arse. Could you imagine what it will be like once I get my hand raised and I’m wearing that belt, because he’s playing the whole superstar thing and all this stuff and then you’re going to go out there and everyone’s going to completely forget about you, that’s going to hurt him a lot.”
Watch the full UFC 298 media day appearance from Alexander Volkanovski above.
