UFC Featherweight Champion Alexander Volkanovski seems confident ahead of UFC 284.
For the first time in his UFC career, ‘The Great’ will be moving out of the featherweight class. Standing in his way of two-division supremacy is current UFC Lightweight Champion Islam Makhachev. At UFC 280, Makhachev used his elite-level wrestling and grappling to get the better of Brazilian jiu-jitsu ace Charles Oliveira.
Considering Makhachev’s deadly takedowns and sambo skills, it’s hardly surprising that Alexander Volkanovski has been focusing on takedown defense ahead of their clash. During a recent interview with The AllStar, ‘The Great’ discussed several fight-related topics including his featherweight opponents, weight cuts, and his training for his upcoming lightweight fight.
When it comes to preparing for Makhachev’s wrestling-oriented offense, Volkanovski is leaving no stone unturned in his training.
Alexander Volkanovski On The Benefits Of His Extreme Training Camp
When it comes to the perks of his current work in the gym, Volkanovski believes his future foes could be in for a world of trouble. ‘The Great’ believes the grueling nature of his current camp will render him a superior fighter overall. In turn, his enhanced skills will make him an even more dangerous threat than before.
“I’m telling you, overnight my takedown defense — I got stronger, just because of that challenge, and I knew I needed to do that. I was like, ‘Right now, I can’t go in there with a normal camp. It might not be enough. I need to prepare properly. I need to make sure no stone is left unturned.’ … Literally, this is going to make me so much more of a better fighter. I feel sorry for the guys I’ll fight after this. Again, I’m looking forward to seeing the fighter I’ll be once I’m [in] peak conditioning.”
‘The Great’ will no doubt be looking to reach his peak conditioning in time for UFC 284 on February 11. At featherweight, Alexander Volkanovski has been a dominant fighter and champion for years. Overcoming the threat of Islam Makhachev to become the latest double champion will likely be his toughest challenge yet.
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