Alexander Volkanovski has revealed he is ready to “shock the world” after coming straight off a family holiday – and several beers – to accept a blockbuster UFC 294 title fight against Islam Makhachev.
Despite having only 11 days to prepare, Volkanovski is set to “prove once again I’ve got them big cajones” when he faces UFC lightweight king Makhachev in Abu Dhabi on Sunday week.
While initially expecting to be out of the cage until January, Volk returned to his Windang gym on Wednesday afternoon, and went straight into fight simulations, after being called up as a late replacement for Brazilian Charles Oliveira.
UFC 294: Makhachev vs Volkanovski 2 | SUN 22nd OCT 5AM AEDT | Order Now with Main Event on Kayo Sports
Only hours earlier, UFC president Dana White had revealed Oliveira was withdrawing from the headliner after suffering a nasty cut above his eye in training – with Australia’s UFC featherweight champ being parachuted in to save the card.
As revealed by Fox Sports Australia, White has also rewarded Volkanovski by signing him to a massive new fight deal that now puts ‘The Great’ among the highest paid athletes on the roster.
Just as importantly, the gutsy Wollongong star now has the chance to join that elite crew of UFC ‘champ champs’.
“As soon as I found out yesterday I was in the gym,” Volkanovski revealed Thursday afternoon of what is set to become an incredibly hectic, if brief, world title camp.
“I hit up the boys and said ‘right I’m doing a meat grinder’, a fight simulator, straight away.
“I did that then did sparring rounds this morning. And if anyone can do this, it’s me.
“A lot of people talk the talk, not many walk the walk.
“But I get to prove once again, I’ve got them big cajones.
“It’s crazy
“It really is.”
Speaking on his YouTube channel, Volkanovski revealed he accepted the fight despite having only just returned from a family holiday.
“Have I been on holidays? Yeah,” he cackled.
“Have I had a couple of drinks here and there? Yeah I have.
“But I guess that’s why I feel fresh.
“Excited.
“I don’t feel worn out.
“I got told about Charles having to pull out yesterday (Wednesday) and we said ‘alright let’s do it’.
“I just said ‘make sure it’s worth it and let’s do it’.
“Obviously this is a pretty crazy thing to do.
“There’s not many fighters out there that would do this, especially in my position.
“But I always say that I am that guy.
“I am the guy that will do anytime, anywhere, any weight.
“This is the opportunity to prove that again against a tough, game opponent.”
Volkanovski will now have less than two weeks to prepare for the fighter he faced back in February, at UFC 284 in Perth, where he lost his first tilt at ‘champ champ’ status via a contentious decision loss.
“We already battled it out this year and we thought we got the job done,” said the fighter who then went and defended his UFC featherweight belt against Mexico’s Yair Rodriguez in July.
“I thought I had my moment.
“That big moment with the whole underdog story – ‘there is no way, he doesn’t stand a chance’ – and we thought we did it.
“I remember thinking just a few days ago ‘I’m not going to get that moment if I fight him again’.
“I won’t be this crazy underdog, people have seen what I can do so they will back me, think I can get the job done.
“But now with 12 days notice, I’m (back) in the same position.
“A lot of people will be ‘there’s no way, short notice he’s crazy’.
“So it’s an opportunity.
“A lot of people won’t do these things.
“And would I prefer a better camp? Yeah, of course.
“You know what I’m like with my preparation.
“I like to make sure.
“But I’m the man for the job.
“If anyone can do this on 12 days notice, off the couch as they say, it’s me.
“I get to go and shock the world in how many days? Eleven days?
“Luckily I’m always training”.
Dana confirms Volk will replace Oliveira | 01:00
Speaking further about that first Makhachev fight, he continued later: “That fight made me a better fighter.
“Honestly my training after that (fight), my takedown defence, my scrambling ability, the way I understand the ground, I learned so much and I carried it through my last camp.
“I carried it through even while I’ve been training after my last fight.
“As soon as I got through the surgery I was able to do a fair bit.
“So again, crazy turn of events.
“But it’s exciting for me.
“Let’s go and finish this guy.
“No pressure on me, baby. No pressure at all.
“All the pressure is on him.
“I’m coming off the couch”.
Volkanovski also confirmed he was not expecting to fight again until January next year.
“(So when) they said it to me and I said ‘wow’,” he grinned.
“I did not expect that.
“It wasn’t ‘I’ll stay in camp just in case’.
“Obviously I’d had my surgery and had until January — I didn’t want to wait but they said we can’t do anything else.
“I was starting to get a little bored.
“So now we’ll make things exciting.
“I didn’t want to wait and now I don’t have to.
“So it’s meant to be and all adds to the story.
“Me going to Abu Dhabi, him with a full camp … people are going to think I’m crazy for doing this but I get to shock the world and I can’t wait to go out there and do it.”
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