Volkanovski out to prove that he's different against confident Topuria
AT A GLANCE
The MTV-driven popularity of one Australian musical group helped kick off a massive American infatuation for the Oceanic country in 1981. Infectious pop music helped usher in an infatuation with the pop culture Down Under, spearheaded by Men At Work's song and video of the same name, with Yanks gushing over everything from cuddly koalas to the peculiarity of what the heck is a vegemite sandwich.
So while the fun and catchy “Down Under” might seem to be a little on the light side for a UFC walkout, the sense of pride for Australian native Alexander Volkanovski is music to his ears.
“Yeah, it is fun. And I like to be fun and calm. I don't like to go in there, like, I don't need something to pump me up and get me angry,” the UFC featherweight champion told the Southern California News Group. “I want that good energy ... you know, that sort of reminds me, sort of takes me back home, which means take me back home to my country, to my family.”
And though it isn't the intention of Volkanovski's walkout song, a closer listen to the chorus offers a foreboding prefight warning: “Can't you hear, can't you hear the thunder? You better run, you better take cover.”
Some 43 years after the song's release, the lyrics will be blasted Saturday night at Honda Center as Volkanovski accepts the challenge of undefeated Ilia Topuria in the UFC 298 main event in Anaheim.
Only Topuria (14-0) doesn't come across as one to be cowering at loud noises. Asked if he thought he was better than the 145-pound champion everywhere in the Octagon, Topuria's answer to the Southern California News Group was concisely
Saturday
Honda Center early prelims (3:30 p.m., ESPN+); prelims (5 p.m., ESPN/ESPN+); main card (7 p.m., PPV via ESPN+)
confident: “I don't think so. I know so.”
Confidence for days
The 27-year-old Topuria, who was born in Germany, raised in the Republic of Georgia and has lived most of his life in Spain, is a supremely skilled sniper and as intense as he is confident.
He is 6-0 in the UFC, with only two of his fights going the distance. That includes his last tussle in June against knockout artist Josh Emmett — only the heavy hands being dished out in Jacksonville that night were from Topuria, who tenderized Emmett's face for five bloody rounds.
When asked if Emmett's power might be the fiercest he'll face in the division, Topuria quipped: “I don't know because I didn't (feel) it.”
Volkanovski (26-3), on the other hand, would rather forget his last fight. Stepping in on 10 days' notice to save the main event in Abu Dhabi, Saudi Arabia, he accepted a rematch against lightweight champion Islam Makhachev at UFC 294 on Oct. 21.
In their first fight nearly one year ago, Volkanovski moved up to 155 pounds and lost a narrow decision. With essentially no camp in October but driven to secure his legacy as a double champ, Volkanovski was stunned by a Makhachev head kick about three minutes into their rematch and lost via TKO.
Volkanovski, 35, assures he has gone through all the protocols following the TKO loss, saying he delayed his camp by a month and could have pushed the fight back further if necessary.
“I wanted to ease back into training. And then, you know, get a good base and then start camp and have a nice, long camp, and we did that,” he said. “So yeah, I'm sure I can see why people would think that, but they're just not in the gym every day. Being in the gym every day? Trust me, they're totally different conversations, but it's just they're not so they're just looking from the outside in and that's just how it is.”
Topuria views Saturday's fight, less than four months after Volkanovski was finished, as the most opportune time for him to ascend to the throne.
“I always say that `Los tiempos de Dios son los mejores,'” Topuria said, meaning “God's times are the best.”
“So I feel like now was the moment to face him and to break him.”
Smirking at all the bravado is the man known as Alexander The Great, who conquered the 145-pound division more than four years ago and has yet to relinquish control.
While Topuria comes across as borderline arrogant, Volkanovski wonders how much is belief versus bluster.
“I've never fought an opponent who has ever played that confident. You know what I mean?” Volkanovski said. “I think I've fought many confident guys. It may be ... and probably, probably is — but I think a lot of it is Ilia's playing the game. And he's doing it really well. He's a smart, smart kid. So I think he's just doing a great job, which I appreciate.”
Is age just a number?
The saying “Father Time is undefeated” is applied often when veteran athletes begin to struggle, especially painstakingly in combats sports.
Know who else is undefeated? Volkanovski in the UFC at 145 pounds. He has a pristine 13-0 record as a featherweight and, even more impressively, is 6-0 when fighting for or defending the belt.
Three of those victories are over Max Holloway, the former champ once regarded as the best featherweight of all time until Volkanovski began his title run. And before Holloway, that acclaim was reserved for Jose Aldo, whom Volkanovski beat in May 2019, seven months before dethroning Holloway.
One statistic, however, has been getting a lot of play lately: When it comes to men's championship bouts in the UFC, fighters 35 and older competing at 170 pounds or lighter are an astonishing 1-20 against younger opponents.
Aaron Bronsteter of Canada's Sportsnet looked into it even further and found at featherweight, the younger fighter is 15-6 in title bouts. The exception to the rule, five of those six times, has been Volkanovski, who won the title at 31 and scoffs at the age 35 theory.
“Ahhh, it's just a number. I've proved that I'm different so many times, you know what I mean?” Volkanovski said. “The adversity I've showed people that the more I can get through, you know? My composure in some of these things, like, just everything that I've accomplished, you know what I mean?
“People should really understand that I don't care about all these other stats and numbers. I'm different. And people will be reminded that this week.”
Topuria, who credits hard work and dedication for his confidence, says as long as he focuses on the process, he'll go home with the belt.
“I'm in my prime. Like I told you, I feel better than I ever felt in my life. And he is on his downside, so it's a perfect time,” the challenger said. “But even if he he shows up at his prime on Saturday night, you're gonna have a hard time with me.”