UFC featherweight champion Alexander Volkanovski has spoken candidly about the concussion he suffered in his short notice rematch against Islam Makhachev.
As we know, Alexander Volkanovski is one of the most beloved fighters in recent memory. He made history as featherweight champion during his first run and now, he has the belt back once again. With that being said, prior to his triumph over Diego Lopes, he suffered nasty knockout losses at the hands of Islam Makhachev and Ilia Topuria.
While some may think that the Topuria defeat was worse, Alexander Volkanovski himself has revealed that he got a pretty bad concussion off the back of losing the rematch to Makhachev.
Alexander Volkanovski reveals Islam Makhachev concussion
“I had a decent concussion from Islam,” Volkanovski said on Demetrious Johnson’s MightyCast. “I feel like I had more of a concussion from the Islam one. Even though I was knocked out longer with Ilia, I had a lot more of the symptoms with the Islam one. … So I didn’t have head contact [training afterward], but then when you’re easing into it, now you’re easing into it, making sure you’re not getting hit. Trying to put yourself in safer positions and you even start camp wrong. I should have had the break.”
“I can accept the situation and I’ll tell myself to make it work even though it’s probably not going to,” Volkanovski said. “I’m telling you, I went in there [ahead of the Makhachev rematch] going I’m going to be more dangerous now because I’m at 11 days. I literally told myself that. … I’m literally like, ‘This is the most dangerous you’ve seen me.’ I’m not beating him by decision, I have to go, I’m going to have to be more aggressive, I’m going to take more risks, and I literally believed it.”
Quotes via MMA Fighting