Alexander Volkanovski has been forced to defend against shock claims he isn’t only returning to the Octagon four months too soon, but carrying a KO “button” on the left side of his temple.
Australia’s UFC featherweight king will defend gold for a sixth time against cocky Spaniard Ilia Topuria at UFC 298 in Anaheim, this Sunday.
UFC 298: VOLKANOVSKI VS TOPURIA | SUN 18 FEB | Order Now with Main Event on Kayo Sports. Main Event on Kayo Sports and Foxtel is the new exclusive home of UFC Pay-Per-View events!
While Topuria is on an unbeaten tear of 14 straight fights, Volkanovski is himself returning to competition just four months after being brutally kayoed by UFC lightweight champ Islam Makhachev.
And one man who sees great danger in that combination is Henry Cejudo, the future Hall of Famer and former UFC ‘champ champ’ who also boasts Olympic wrestling gold.
Speaking with Fox Sports Australia this week, Cejudo warned Volkanovski was returning up to four months too soon from the Makhachev loss.
The fighter dubbed Triple C also suggested Makhachev’s headkick has potentially left Volkanovski nursing a KO “button” on the left side of his temple.
Already, Topuria has promised to finish Volk within a round, and Cejudo suggests – to get it done — the challenger should aim for that same spot the kick landed.
“Because Volkanovski took that blow to the head and I think there could be a button there,” Cejudo said.
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“If I’m Ilia Topuria, I’m no longer for the chin of Volk. I’m looking for the top of his head.
“Looking exactly where Makhachev landed that left kick.
“Because there are buttons dude.
“Look at Chuck Liddell, look at a lot of fighters … with the four ounce gloves, a shin, it isn’t just the chin (that’s susceptible).
“The time to fight Volkanovski is now, right after a knockout.”
Cejudo also suggested Volkanovski should have waited at least six to eight months before returning to the Octagon.
“I’ve been concussed before,” the former champ continued.
“And when you look at the way Volkanovski got finished, you have to ask if he is coming back prematurely.
“Especially against a guy who throws with a lot of power, and is really precise with it.
“Returning from a concussion, it takes anywhere between six to eight months for your s*** to come back to you.”
Yet when asked about Cejudo’s claims by Fox Sports Australia, Volkanovski grinned: “A button?
“Mate, I’ve been sparring. Had a big camp.
“And I can tell you that were there a button there, it would have been pressed already.
“But it hasn’t been.
“Everything is good.
“And I get why people say certain things, ‘oh, I wouldn’t have done it like that’.
“Yeah, I know … I’m different.
“Guys don’t have my mindset.
“So they aren’t doing the things that I’m doing.
“People say ‘oh, what if this is a problem, or that is a problem?’.
“But what if it’s not?
“And I know it’s not because I’ve been through all the concussion protocols. All the stuff that needed to be done to get back to training properly.
“I’ve followed all the protocols.
“Everything is good.
“I’m not worried.
“If he catches me, he catches me.
“But it won’t be because of some button.”
Despite his concerns for the Australian, Cejudo added that “if there is anybody who can pull it off it’s Volkanovski”.
“It’s hard to bet against a guy like him,” he said.
“And I’m a fan of him technically and tactically.
“Volkanovski is talented man.
‘He needs to be humbled’ UFC 298 | 14:59
“And so the other question you have to ask: Is the young bull Ilia Topuria ready?’
“I remember when I went in with Demetrious Johnson first time and thought I was ready.
“Then I got knocked the hell out in the first round.
“But then second time, it was different.
“You live and you learn.”
Asked how Volkanovski gets it done, Cejudo continued: “The key is lateral movements.
“Alex was very linear in his last fight with Islam.
“So can he use lateral movements to kick? Can he be the mouse rather than the cat?
“Can he do all that because Topuria is coming.”
UFC 289 also shapes as a huge one for Cejudo.
Facing Merab Dvalishvili, the bantamweight favourite used Wednesday’s media day to also reveal he will retire if he loses.
The decision would close out a storied career which includes not only Olympic wrestling gold but UFC titles at both flyweight and bantamweight.
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