MMA is one of the most unpredictable sports in the world. The best fighters in the world can fall at any moment. Fans often see dominant champions like Alexander Volkanovski getting stopped by rising contenders such as Ilia Topuria. According to pound-for-pound king Islam Makhachev, there’s a compelling reason behind such surprising outcomes.
At UFC 294, Alexander Volkanovski was knocked out by Islam Makhachev while fighting on extremely short-notice. Four months after the loss, he went to defend his featherweight title against Ilia Topuria which didn’t go as planned. In a recent interview, Makhachev talked about what went wrong for the Australian superstar.
Some of the fighters did mistake. Like what Volkanovski did with Topuria. Somebody knock them out and they want to go back soon and show people–it’s nothing, I don’t feel nothing after the knockout….They just rush a little bit did mistake.
Islam Makhachev via UFC’s YouTube channel
In his second fight against Islam Makhachev, Volkanovski stepped in as a late replacement, leaving him with little time to prepare. The Aussie fighter later revealed that he had grappled with mental health challenges, stemming from a lack of activity in the octagon. Unfortunately, the rushed decision resulted in a significant defeat.
These setbacks have made his road to recovery in the division even more challenging. Something similar happened to Beneil Dariush in 2023 as well. Makhachev emphasized how fighters should recover before returning to the octagon. However, Volkanovski never regretted fighting Topuria after his UFC 294 loss to Makhachev.
Alexander Volkanovski reviews his devastating loss to Ilia Topuria
Alexander Volkanovski is one of the greatest featherweights to ever grace the UFC octagon. Before losing the belt, he defended it five times and fought against top opponents like Max Holloway, Brian Ortega, The Korean Zombie and Yair Rodriguez. However, Ilia Topuria was always different and that was clear by the way he destroyed Volkanovski.
Alexander vs. Ilia Topuria (via Imago)After his loss to Topuria, Volkanovski was asked whether he made a mistake by taking the fight. While answering the question, the Australian MMA legend denied all these speculations. In addition, he gave credit to the Georgian-Spaniard for his performance.
You can’t take anything away from Topuria. If he puts his hands on you like that, you are gonna go down. That was a clean right hand and no matter who you are….don’t let him catch ya. He caught me.
Alexander Volkanovski via UFC 298 post-fight presser
Volkanovski is determined to secure a title rematch against Ilia Topuria, but the path ahead appears uncertain. Meanwhile, top contenders like Diego Lopes have expressed interest in facing the Australian, generating excitement among fans. The future of the former featherweight champion promises to be intriguing as new challenges and opportunities continue to emerge.
Stay Updated!
Join our newsletter to receive exclusive updates and curated insights directly to your inbox.
