After defending his belt for the first time in a rematch against Max Holloway, the opportunity to build some more excitement and anticipation for his bout against Ortega appealed to the Australian. As far as how Volkanovski is approaching his role as coach, it’s as methodical and refined as you’d expect from the champ.
“I go deep,” he said. “I don’t want to show you a move and that’s it. I want to explain why that move, and I want you to know the mechanics and the principles and things like that so you can get an understanding of why that move works, and not only that, you can use that move when you want. You can use a thousand moves just by knowing the little details.
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“There’s so many little things in every position that can be used in so many ways. That’s the type of guy I am. I like details, and the coaching staff we have, that’s how we are, so we’re going to be detailed in between different martial arts and all that type of stuff. It ain’t all about certain things. We’re all about the details, and that’s what I feel can really help the boys.”
Naturally, Volkanovski is as amiable as they come in the fight game. That said, several weeks seeing the same faces every day can cultivate some heat that inevitably bubbles to the surface. The way Volkanovski talks about he and his coaching staff’s approach to the show, there’s a sense that he knows there’s a chance to indulge in some mischief.