UFC featherweight champion Alexander Volkanovski has vowed to finish Max Holloway inside five rounds when the pair square off for a second time at UFC 251 on July 11. Earlier this week UFC president Dana White announced Volkanovski would make his first title defence against the man he dethroned at UFC 245 late last year.
Originally this rematch was planned for Perth, Australia but the ongoing global pandemic means Volkanovski and Hollway will now throw down on ‘Fight Island’. Speaking to ESPN after the rematch was announced Volkanovski expressed his intent to fight for the finish against ‘Blessed’ on July 11, he said.
“This is a rematch and I’ve got something to prove right now, this is bigger than just a win. I don’t want to go out there and just beat him, I’ve already done that. I dominated him for five rounds last time, but they give him a rematch anyway.
“People quickly forget how I did it, there were biased opinions and commentary, everything. So I’m a little bit annoyed, I feel disrespected. I’ve got something to prove this time, I’ll put him away inside the five [rounds] this time. I guarantee you that. I’m sending a message.”
Volkanovski will now take every day and every training session he can in preparation for a determined opponent who wants to reclaim his throne, he said.
“We’ve got the same schedule as we do every camp, which means we’re busting our ass. But I’ll be doing everything I can here and then we’ll fly out a week before, I can’t really go any earlier than that because each day is crucial here [in Australia] and I want to finish my camp solidly. I don’t want to go over there early and miss out on a few sessions. So the four weeks that I’ve got to prepare still, just busting my ass on the schedule that we always do; then head over to there to Fight Island and put on a show.”
Do you think Alexander Volkanovski will finish Max Holloway at UFC 251?