During his fight against Ilia Topuria, the fifth-ranked contender in the featherweight division of the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC), which will take place on February 17, 2024 at the Honda Center in Anaheim, California, Alexander Volkanovski will attempt to defend his title for the sixth time.
Topuria provided an overview of his preparation for the forthcoming fight in an interview that was conducted with ESPN Deportes more recently. The fighter known as “El Matador” asserts that he is continuously studying film and has dissected Volkanovski’s strategy. He continues to say that the current champion does not have a chance of winning.
As Topuria put it:
“When I wake up in the morning, I watch films, and sometimes I even watch tapes of old trainings that are online. Everything that I viewed was… Not only does he not have any chance, but he also has no opportunities. In spite of the fact that I can’t find any gaps, I can tell how he attacks. There is only one attack that I can envision him doing, and that is to kick my legs. That is the only thing he is capable of doing. Cardiovascular fitness is something that everyone possesses, but only when they are not under any kind of pressure. You will have strong cardiovascular fitness when you are walking forward, but when you are in danger, your cardiovascular fitness tends to decrease. This will be the case, and he will have someone in front of him who never goes back.
Additionally, Ilia Topuria emphasized the significance of maintaining patience in order to achieve a successful finish versus Alexander Volkanovski. He went on to say:
“In my opinion, it is flawless, and it is going to be a masterpiece that you will hit and that you will not hit. In this fight, you will witness a genuine mixed martial artist, and that is exactly what you will end up seeing. My expectation is that I will be there with a great deal of patience, looking for any opportunity that may present itself. I will be present in order to make the most of the opportunity. But the thing that is most essential to me is to maintain patience at all times, to always be prepared, and to avoid making efforts that are not necessary. There is no need to exert too much effort because the conclusion will come.
Alexander Volkanovski details talks with Cristiano Ronaldo
Volkanovski was an individual that the legendary soccer player Cristiano Ronaldo sought out during his conversation with Israel Adesanya, who was Ronaldo’s teammate, in Saudi Arabia in the month of October.
Alexander Volkanovski disclosed their talk during a recent interview on The MMA Hour. Volkanovski stated that he has been in communication with the Portuguese superstar. Additionally, he highlighted Ronaldo’s desire to showcase a giant fight card in Saudi Arabia, where he has recently relocated. The featherweight champion of the UFC stated:
“We have been having a conversation. Yes, mate, it is really wonderful. ‘Head up,’ Cristiano Ronaldo said, and other similar phrases were also used. After that, the talk continued because, as you could see, he had a strong desire for me to be in Saudi Arabia. [Ronaldo] wanted to acquire a large card in that country. My response is something along the lines of, “Look, if anyone can do it, I’m sure you can influence that decision quite a bit.”
