Alexander Volkanovski

Reigning UFC featherweight champion Alex Volkanovski has a bout with Brian Ortega on the horizon.

But that isn’t keeping him from looking towards the future and a possible showdown with Conor McGregor.

As McGregor returns Saturday night at UFC 257 vs. Dustin Poirier, Volkanovski talked with Submission Radio about that fight, his future and more.

On Max Holloway’s win over Kattar

“I was definitely watching, and yeah Max put on a good show. I knew he would get the win. He put on the pace, and yeah, Kattar just couldn’t keep up. So, it was a good showing.”

On whether it was an improved version of Max Holloway

“He doesn’t look like that in front of me, plain and simple. And I don’t mean that as disrespect, but I shut him down, and that’s plain and simple. He was breaking records with numbers, and he’s always a high-volume fighter, he’s always looking good when there’s other people in front of him. But when it’s me in front of him, I just don’t let him do his thing. But in saying that, he did definitely put on a good performance, and I’m gonna credit him for that. But at the same time, he don’t look like that in front of me.”

On Dana White saying Max has earned a possible third fight against Alex for the title

“They were keen before he even fought yesterday. They were obviously talking about a trilogy. Being 0-2, it doesn’t really make sense. That’s why Max moved on, that’s why Max went and fought yesterday, because he knew that it just does not make sense. And that’s why obviously the UFC put Ortega in front of me. So, we need to move on. Is it going to be further down the track? Look, I’m not gonna say that’s not gonna happen. I believe that Max is doing what he needs to do to stay a number-one contender, and if we have to meet again, we have to meet again. But at the same time, there’s going to be a different opponent in front of me, and that’s what I’m gonna focus on. But yeah, we’ll see what happens.”

On the fight with Ortega not being fully confirmed

“I mean, it’s no secret I’m fighting Ortega. It’s not fully confirmed yet, but it’s pretty clear that that’s what it’s gonna be. And yeah, I’m gonna do my thing. I’m gonna put on a show and show the world why I’m the best featherweight out there.”

Why Alex won’t do his usual training camp at City Kickboxing ahead of UFC 260

“We won’t be able to do the same camp that we usually do. We are trying to get over there in New Zealand, but there’s complications there, so it’s pretty difficult. They’ve got a whole voucher system that you probably heard about that’s been giving the boys problems getting back into their own country. So, things are gonna have to change for this camp. But again, we’re gonna do what we did last camp. But at least we’ve got more time now as well. So, we’re gonna bring a whole heap of guys from around Australia to come into Windang Freestyle Fighting gym, and we’re just going to all do our camp there. So, we’ve got a few guys that will be fighting on the same card – I won’t mention any names – and not just that, some of the best fighters in Australia are gonna be at our gym putting work in and doing the rounds. And mate, I’ll definitely be in good shape and I’ll be sharp as ever. Again, I’m learning so much every day even just watching fights, studying my own fights. And then we’re gonna be doing Zoom chats, doing what we did last fight, and some. So, it’s gonna be good. I’m excited to get back in there. 2020 was a slow year for the world, but 2021, I’m gonna make sure I get a few fights this year. 2021 is my year 100 percent. And what a good way to get it started March 27th.”

On not being sure if he’s fighting on Fight Island or Las Vegas

“We don’t know exactly where we’re fighting. We don’t know if it’s fight island or if it’s Vegas. So, nothing’s confirmed for us. So, we don’t know. But if we are back on fight island, now that I’ve experienced it, even if I’m fighting with no crowd, at least I’ve experienced it, so I know what to do. As I said last time we probably talked, I tried to control my emotions, I tried to keep myself composed and I was just very underdone. There just wasn’t no adrenaline, I wasn’t sharp, my reactions weren’t there because I think I tried to play it too calm and collected. So, I think this time I’m going to let my emotions fly. I want that edge, I want that sharpness. And usually that crowd will get me there, but this time I’m gonna use different sorts of energies. I’ll use my emotions differently and things like that. An easy way of saying that is, I’ll try not to control my emotions so much, I’ll let them fly, just so it keeps them sharp.”

On wanting a crowd at his fight

“I’d be a fool to say not in front of a crowd. We all want to fight in front of crowds again. You know, a bit of normality, and just obviously the energy you can use off the crowd and just put on a show for people that are there live. But whatever it is, wherever we are, I’m just gonna adapt to what the situation is and just do my thing. But I really am, I’m looking forward to fighting in front of a crowd again. So, we’ll see what happens.”

Why he’s not afraid to go to the ground with Ortega despite Ortega’s dangerous ground game and quick chokes

“I’m not avoiding anything. That’s why we love this sport. People are gonna be like, ‘you cannot take Ortega down’. Like, literally think that, ‘oh, he’s a good Jiu Jitsu’. But this is MMA, it’s a whole different world. We got cages as obstacles, we got punches, elbows. We’ve got so many things that come into play. So, to say that the floor is lava, which is a good term – I might use that – that is not the case. But again, I would have to be a fool to think I would just play Jiu Jitsu with Brian Ortega, but there are ways I can approach that realm.”

On how Ortega does against him on the feet

“The floor isn’t lava. But we are probably going to be standing. And I just believe even though Ortega has shown that he’s levelled up, has shown new tools, I just believe these tools aren’t at the level my tools are, and I think just my pressure and when I’m in front of people doing my thing, it is hard to deal with. I don’t care who you are, I don’t care how good you are, I don’t care what weight you are, if I’m in front of you, you are gonna fight my fight, plain and simple. And I plan on bringing it. And this is going to be a fun fight for me, and this is gonna be a fun fight for the fans as well. So, again, I get to really put on the pressure, I get to really be in his face and put a high pace on. And man, again, no disrespect to Ortega, but I’m gonna go out there and I’m gonna put a showing on him, and I can’t wait to do it.”

On Ortega not being able to deal with his pressure and how Volkanovski backs up Israel Adesanya in sparring

“When I’m putting that pressure on you and I’m in your face and you’re fighting my fight and you’re panicking and the stress levels are right up there, he’s gonna shoot desperately. And again, it’s different when I’m in front of you. So, whether he wants to keep it standing or not, I believe it’s not gonna go how he thinks it’s gonna go, and I think he may be shooting carelessly or throwing carelessly. And that’s where I’m really going to do my thing. So, again, it is just different when I’m in front of you. I’ve got some of the best fighters in the world that just, even they watch it, they know my pressure. But when I’m in front of them, they go, ‘wow, that’s… I understand it now, I feel that’. And even a good example of that is Israel Adesanya when he talks about it. He’s always said, even though I’m half his size, he’s on the back foot when we’re sparring. And he’s like ‘why am I letting this bloke get me on the back foot?’, and he’ll be like ‘I ain’t letting that happen’. And before he knows it, he’s on the back foot again. Because, he says I’ve just got a knack for it. Again, it’s just different when I’m in front of you. And people can say what they want, but again, when I’m in front of you, it’s different, and I’m gonna show that time and time again.”

On him and Israel just doing light technical sparring and not 100%

“It’s not like we’re going out there trying to take each other’s head off. We’re both smart fighters and we’re not sparring to kill each other, and he’s not trying to knock my head off or anything like that. We do our technical sparring and things like that, and it’s good. You learn a lot from that type of sparring. We have sparred. I wouldn’t say we go out there on a Saturday when we do our sparring sessions, we ain’t out there doing our rounds every weekend, but we have sparred here and there. But more technical sparring. I don’t think fighting Israel or sparring him one hundred percent is a good idea (laughs).”

On possibly going to 155 by the end of 2021 if he’s cleared out the featherweight division

 “I don’t think it’s long before I can cement my legacy in this division. I think I’ve done some great things already. I’ve beaten the best guys in this division. People are trying to say Max is the GOAT. Obviously, they’re saying Aldo’s the GOAT. I’ve beaten them both. People are trying to say Max is still in his prime, and I beat him twice in his prime, so that just shows you where I’m at. But again, I do want to stay in this division and cement myself as the GOAT in this division. I don’t think that’s too far away. You know, a couple of defences. But man, I love my BBQs, so 155 will definitely be somewhere I wouldn’t mind going to as well. But again, I got a division to hold and do my thing in. But at the end of 2021, I think whether there’s someone next or not, there might not be a number-one contender, so alright, let’s move up, let’s have a fight there. I don’t want to hold up the division, I’ve always said that, but there’s going to be opportunities where it’s time to be like, alright, let’s go test out the waters in the lightweight division.”

On being more powerful than most lightweights in the UFC

“To be honest, I’ll still need to cut weight to make lightweight. I don’t need to put on muscle or put on weight because I’m still sitting at a decent weight for lightweight as well, because again, I fluctuate a fair bit. And man, like, I’ve trained with so many different weights. I fought at middleweight. You gotta remember, I fought at middleweight. I’ve played front rower. I was 97kgs. I’m used to the big boys. I don’t know anything but training with the big boys. Even now, even though I’m sure when I’m sparring with some of those big guys, these days I’m still training with guys twice the size of me. I could only imagine what they’re looking at. Because I’m like a little Chihuahua. I feel like I’m 10 foot tall, right? They’re looking at this 5’6 bloke half the size of them, probably piecing them up. And you know me, that’s what I’m used to, that’s all I know. So, I feel just as strong as these big boys. So, I don’t need to put on muscle, I don’t need to work on strength, because I believe even in the lightweight division, I’m stronger than majority of them. And again, the power’s there and I don’t need to work on that. So yeah, I’m used to the big boys. So, there’s nothing different for me.”

Why Conor McGregor makes sense for Volkanovski as the ideal lightweight fight

“There is I guess you can say a connection with Conor, where I’ve beaten every other champion in my division, and Conor was the featherweight champion as well. And as I said, I want to cement myself as the GOAT in my division. And let’s be honest, there’s always going to be Conor McGregor fans and they’re gonna keep bringing him up and throwing him out there in the conversations. So, to go out there and sort of just show the world that I am the greatest featherweight of all time, that would be a big fight for me. And obviously then you’re talking about the circus around it, the promotion and just everything about it, a money fight. You name it. It would be a fun big opportunity and fun fight. And it makes sense because, again, I want that GOAT status.”

McGregor/Poirier 2 prediction

“Conor McGregor, there’s no ring rust. You’re not gonna get that. Obviously he’s a confident fighter, he’s cocky, or whatever it is. He’s that confident that it doesn’t matter if he hasn’t been in there for that long. There won’t be ring rust. He’s gonna be clear no matter how long he hasn’t been in there for. I believe he’s gonna be sharp as ever. I know he’s the type of guy that when he’s got a challenge in front of him, a fight in front of him, he’s preparing, no matter how rich he is or whatever he is, he does take this sport serious, and I think he’s gonna be in good nick. And I just think that with Poirier, I know he’s a much better fighter than he was, whether that knockout is still in the back of his head, I just think Conor’s just sharpness is gonna be too much earlier in that fight. I think he does get the finish early in the fight. If it goes later, obviously that changes. But, I think Conor gets the finish early.”

His prediction for UFC 260 against Brian Ortega

“I don’t mean this in any disrespect, but I believe I’m just gonna crumble him. My pressure is too much. I’m gonna get in his face and it’s just gonna be too much. I’m predicting, because he is tough, he does have a chin. We’ve seen that. But just that pressure I’m gonna put in front of him, I believe whether it’s a third or fourth round, I believe it’s just going to be too much, and that fight’s going to be stopped, just too overwhelmed. That’s how I see it. I’ve pictured it, and that’s exactly it. 2021 is gonna be my year. There’s gonna be a lot of big things happening this year, and there’s gonna be a lot of opportunity towards the end of the year as well. So, keep an eye out, stay tuned.”

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