Aleksandr Volkanovsky is well aware of what he’s up against at UFC 290.
The UFC featherweight champ will seek his fifth defense of the belt on Saturday when he faces interim champion Yair Rodriguez in a much-anticipated title unification bout. Rodriguez captured the interim belt by stopping Josh Emmett in the second round this past February. It was just one of the many dynamic and devastating finishes the Mexican talent has been accustomed to since becoming the world’s premiere winner. The Ultimate Fighter: Latin America It’s 2014, and Volkanowski didn’t take the challenge lightly.
“He’s got that element of danger,” Volkanowski said on Wednesday. MMA watch. “But people quickly forget fighting IQ, my flexibility and durability. I’m just so good. I have all the tools and I have all the right tools to be where I am right now. There’s a reason I say that every time for my fights – I don’t think I’m mathematically gifted or anything.” Like that, it’s all the other things that make me the champ, that make me who I am. That’s why you can never really count me out. That’s why I think the way I lose to anyone in my department is if someone drops a lucky punch, And he catches up with me.
Maybe saying “lucky punch” is a little disrespectful, but it’s someone who caught my eye. I don’t really see anyone hitting me. But then you talk about opponents who have a higher chance of doing that, it’s probably Yair Rodriguez, when you look at him he has that risk factor. Can I go out there and make this look easy? Yes I can. I can go out there and make this look easy. But does this mean that it is not dangerous? No, it’s very dangerous. But I’m well prepared and I’m ready to go out there and show why I’m the man.”
Volkanovski, 34, may have fallen short in his bid to become a two-division UFC champ last February when his 22-fight win streak was snapped by Islam Makhachev at UFC 284, but the Australian native remains perfect as a UFC featherweight, scoring a 10- 0 in the octagon at 145 lbs. Volkanovski’s title includes three victories over former champion Max Holloway, as well as dominant victories over Brian Ortega and “Korean Zombie” Chan Sung Jung.
His path differs greatly from Rodriguez’s. Having joined the UFC in his early 20s, “El Pantera” had to overcome some tough lessons and bad losses on his way to title contention, but Rodriguez’s victory over Emmett demonstrated a new level of growth and maturity in his skill set.
“He was always very good with these spin kicks and flashy things from a longer distance. He was always good out there, but now he’s very good across the board,” Volkanowski said.
“Even when you’re close, you don’t know if he’s going out, whether he’s throwing with spinning elbows, flying knees, terminal kicks, whatever. So he’s very good across the board. I think earlier in his career, He was probably a lot better in one area. But now you see him a lot better in all ranges, and even his ground game – he’s obviously the kind who always goes for the end, even on the feet and then on the ground. But again, he’s put it all together to make This perfect technique for himself.”
Volkanowski added that he doesn’t take offense when fans and the media refer to Mexico as having three current claimants in the UFC, even if Rodriguez’s belt isn’t officially the same as those won by flyweight holders Brandon Moreno and Alexa Grasso.
“He’s a temporary champ, so yeah, let him have it, it’s okay,” Volkanovski said. “Let him enjoy it as long as it lasts. You know me, I won’t hold back any disrespect, but everyone knows I’m the real hero and don’t need to care about anything else.”
As for what’s next, Volkanovsky remains determined to secure a rematch against Makhachev and hopes to enter that fight on the October 21st pay-per-view in Abu Dhabi at UFC 294.
But that doesn’t mean he ended up at 145 lbs. After UFC 290, Volkanovski also set his eyes on fast-rising Spanish contender Elia Topuria, whose UFC record moved to 6-0 in June with a one-sided win over Emmett at UFC Jacksonville.
“Fresh blood would be incredible, wouldn’t it? Give me some of that fresh blood,” Volkanowski said of Topuria. “I would just say, without disparaging the guy, I don’t want him to go up against anyone else, especially like Yair. Let’s say if I were to take Yair out this weekend, he’d take on Yair [after that] – I don’t want that to happen. I view Yair as a much bigger threat and a much more dangerous battle, to be completely honest. Just being brutally honest with him.
“But a lot of people exaggerate Elijah, so don’t worry, it’s all good, because I know he’ll talk a little trash too, and that’ll make it fun. And I know I’ll give him a good whoop. But I have Yair to worry about, and yeah, we’ll do that and then.” We’ll see what’s next. Again, I have a concern about Yair, but then, what is it? Will it be Islam? Will it be Elia? I want to fight, I want to be active. Depends on how long a particular fighter is, I’ll press one before that Because I’m not lying when I say I want to be active.”