Tag: alexander volkanovski

Dan Ige volunteers for tune-up fight with Alexander Volkavnoski at UFC 305: ‘Happy to take the challenge’

Dan Ige volunteers for tune-up fight with Alexander Volkavnoski at UFC 305: 'Happy to take the challenge'After coming up short in three of his last four outings, including back-to-back knockout losses, Alexander Volkanovski may be…

Dan Ige volunteers for tune-up fight with Alexander Volkavnoski at UFC 305: 'Happy to take the challenge'

After coming up short in three of his last four outings, including back-to-back knockout losses, Alexander Volkanovski may be best served by taking a tune-up fight before attempting to reclaim his featherweight title.

And it just so happens that we have a volunteer.

“Hey @alexvolkanovski if you need a tune-up fight for Perth, I’d be happy to take the challenge,” Dan Ige wrote on X.

Dan Ige volunteers for tune-up fight with Alexander Volkanovski

Since coming up short against lightweight champion Islam Makhachev in October and newly crowned featherweight king Ilia Topuria in February, pundits have encouraged Volkanovski to take some time away from the Octagon to get right, both mentally and physically.

Whether or not ‘The Great’ takes the advice remains to be seen, but with the recent announcement that the UFC will be returning to Perth, Australia on August 17, fans are expecting to see Volkanovski back in action before the end of summer.

Will Alexander Volkanovski fight at UFC 305 in Perth?

Dan Ige would deliver a performance against Alexander Volkanovski worthy of his ’50k’ nickname

Dan Ige is currently holding strong as the No. 12 ranked contender in the featherweight division after winning three of his last four, including a highlight-reel-worthy knockout against Andre Fili at UFC Vegas 86 in February.

Dan Ige flattens Andre Fili

Typically, ’50k’ would still be a few fights away from an opportunity to share the Octagon with Volkanovski, but given his high-octane style of fighting, which has netted him four $50,000 bonuses, Ige would undoubtedly deliver an action-packed showcase against one of the pound-for-pound greatest of all time.

Alexander Volkanovski

Islam Makhachev blames Alex Volkanovski’s team for KO loss to Ilia Topuria at UFC 298: ‘He returned too soon’

Islam Makhachev claims Alex Volkanovski returned too soon in KO loss to Islam MakhachevUFC lightweight champion Islam Makhachev is putting blame on Alexander Volkanovski’s team for the former featherweight champ’s KO loss…

Islam Makhachev claims Alex Volkanovski returned too soon in KO loss to Islam Makhachev

UFC lightweight champion Islam Makhachev is putting blame on Alexander Volkanovski’s team for the former featherweight champ’s KO loss to Ilia Topuria at UFC 298.

Volkanovski looked to defend his title in February after being knocked out by Islam Makhachev in October on short notice for the lightweight title. Many had thought Volkanovski was returning too soon from the loss to Islam Makhachev, which the Dagestani native thinks was the case as he put blame on the Aussie’s team.

UFC Saudi Arabia postponed until June amid links to Islam Makhachev comeback fight
Mandatory Credit: Zuffa LLC

Islam Makhachev shares thoughts on Ilia Topuria’s win at UFC 298

“Of course (he returned too soon),” Islam Makhachev told MMA Junkie of Volkanovski. “Alex is a good fighter, he is a warrior, everybody knows. He can fight everyday. But I always said that his team is very bad because this mistake is not Alex’s mistake. It’s a mistake the team made because the team has to sit with him and tell him, ‘Hey, it’s too soon.’”

“He had a very bad, tough knockout in his last fight. He has to rest for a minimum of three or four months without training, nothing. You have to do some recovery and just wait. He go to fight again too soon. It was a big mistake. He is a warrior, he can come back, but still, he needs some time. He has to listen to his body and give some time for recovery,” Makhachev added.

Ultimately, Volkanovski did suffer a KO loss to Topuria in the second round to lose his featherweight title.

Ilia Topuria opens as betting favorite to beat Alexander Volkanovski in rematch after UFC 298
Mandatory Credit: Zuffa LLC

Following his second straight knockout loss, Alexander Volkanovski has vowed to take time off and let his brain heal.

Volkanovski is adamant he will get an immediate rematch against Topuria, and the Aussie says the plan is to return in late 2024 as he wants to take a couple of months off and make sure he is 100% as he looks to reclaim his featherweight title.

Alexander Volkanovski backed to make UFC return despite KO loss he has no symptoms

Whether or not the time off will make any difference is to be seen, but Volkanovski has confidence he can reclaim his belt.

145-pound king Ilia Topuria ready to close the book on Conor McGregor’s legendary UFC career: ‘It is time’

145-Pound king Ilia Topuria ready to close the book on Conor McGregor's iconic UFC career: 'I believe that it is time'Ilia Topuria hopes to be the one to close out Conor McGregor’s final chapter in the UFC. ‘El Matador’…

145-Pound king Ilia Topuria ready to close the book on Conor McGregor's iconic UFC career: 'I believe that it is time'

Ilia Topuria hopes to be the one to close out Conor McGregor’s final chapter in the UFC.

‘El Matador’ sent shockwaves through the UFC fanbase with a stunning second-round knockout of Alexander Volkanovski at UFC 298 to claim the featherweight world title.

Ilia Topuria defeats Volkanovski at UFC 298

Since then, Topuria has been angling for a big-money fight with Irish megastar Conor McGregor.

Despite his recent callouts, Topuria made it clear that he has nothing, but respect for McGregor and what the former two-division champion has done for the sport. However, the new 145-pound king says it’s his turn to take the reigns and he plans to start by closing the book on McGregor’s storied career.

“First and foremost, in terms of making our sport known, he is the perfect character,” Topuria said during a recent interview in his home country. “My goal right now is to expand the sport. I want to expand the sport as much as I can and the more people know about it, the better it is. It is the work that I want to do, and precisely for the new generation, for myself, and for the sport — which is what I do, and the passion and love that I have for it.

“He represents a chapter in MMA and I believe that it is time for that chapter of that season to close and a new one to begin. I do think that fighting him, beating him would be like leaving him in the season behind.”

ilia Topuria confirms talks are already underway for the uFC’s first event in Spain

Immediately following Ilia Topuria’s title-winning performance last month, UFC CEO Dana White confirmed that the promotion would begin discussions for an event in Spain where Topuria resides. Asked for an update on those plans, ‘El Matador’ revealed that talks are already well underway.

“We have a meeting at noon to carry out the entire UFC Spain project,” Topuria said. “It is a fairly complex project, but steps are being taken. If it is going to be Conor, I don’t know. It wouldn’t surprise me at all. And if it’s not him, I’ll fight someone else and I think that Conor will already be in the season behind.”

Ilia Topuria

As for when we could see the UFC head to Spain for the first time in its 30+ year history, Topuria offered a potential timeline.

“I would start counting from summer onwards,” he added.

Though no official details have been revealed, all signs point toward the event going down inside Santiago Bernabéu — the iconic home stadium of Real Madrid since its completion in 1947.

Ilia Topuria to potentially fight at the Santiago Bernabéu in Madrid

With his win over Alexander Volkanovski in Anaheim, Ilia Topuria moved to a perfect 15-0 in his mixed martial arts career with his last seven victories coming inside the Octagon. He has finished all, but two of his opponents, including five knockouts and eight wins by way of submission.

Even if Topuria can’t lure Conor McGregor into a fight, he has a host of contenders waiting for an opportunity at the top of the featherweight division — chief among them being Brian Ortega who is coming off a big win against former interim champion Yair Rodriguez in February. And, of course, there’s always Max Holloway, a former champion and perennial contender who currently sits as the No. 2 ranked fighter in the weight class.

145-pound king Ilia Topuria ready to close the book on Conor McGregor’s legendary UFC career: ‘It is time’

145-Pound king Ilia Topuria ready to close the book on Conor McGregor's iconic UFC career: 'I believe that it is time'Ilia Topuria hopes to be the one to close out Conor McGregor’s final chapter in the UFC. ‘El Matador’…

145-Pound king Ilia Topuria ready to close the book on Conor McGregor's iconic UFC career: 'I believe that it is time'

Ilia Topuria hopes to be the one to close out Conor McGregor’s final chapter in the UFC.

‘El Matador’ sent shockwaves through the UFC fanbase with a stunning second-round knockout of Alexander Volkanovski at UFC 298 to claim the featherweight world title.

Ilia Topuria defeats Volkanovski at UFC 298

Since then, Topuria has been angling for a big-money fight with Irish megastar Conor McGregor.

Despite his recent callouts, Topuria made it clear that he has nothing, but respect for McGregor and what the former two-division champion has done for the sport. However, the new 145-pound king says it’s his turn to take the reigns and he plans to start by closing the book on McGregor’s storied career.

“First and foremost, in terms of making our sport known, he is the perfect character,” Topuria said during a recent interview in his home country. “My goal right now is to expand the sport. I want to expand the sport as much as I can and the more people know about it, the better it is. It is the work that I want to do, and precisely for the new generation, for myself, and for the sport — which is what I do, and the passion and love that I have for it.

“He represents a chapter in MMA and I believe that it is time for that chapter of that season to close and a new one to begin. I do think that fighting him, beating him would be like leaving him in the season behind.”

ilia Topuria confirms talks are already underway for the uFC’s first event in Spain

Immediately following Ilia Topuria’s title-winning performance last month, UFC CEO Dana White confirmed that the promotion would begin discussions for an event in Spain where Topuria resides. Asked for an update on those plans, ‘El Matador’ revealed that talks are already well underway.

“We have a meeting at noon to carry out the entire UFC Spain project,” Topuria said. “It is a fairly complex project, but steps are being taken. If it is going to be Conor, I don’t know. It wouldn’t surprise me at all. And if it’s not him, I’ll fight someone else and I think that Conor will already be in the season behind.”

Ilia Topuria

As for when we could see the UFC head to Spain for the first time in its 30+ year history, Topuria offered a potential timeline.

“I would start counting from summer onwards,” he added.

Though no official details have been revealed, all signs point toward the event going down inside Santiago Bernabéu — the iconic home stadium of Real Madrid since its completion in 1947.

Ilia Topuria to potentially fight at the Santiago Bernabéu in Madrid

With his win over Alexander Volkanovski in Anaheim, Ilia Topuria moved to a perfect 15-0 in his mixed martial arts career with his last seven victories coming inside the Octagon. He has finished all, but two of his opponents, including five knockouts and eight wins by way of submission.

Even if Topuria can’t lure Conor McGregor into a fight, he has a host of contenders waiting for an opportunity at the top of the featherweight division — chief among them being Brian Ortega who is coming off a big win against former interim champion Yair Rodriguez in February. And, of course, there’s always Max Holloway, a former champion and perennial contender who currently sits as the No. 2 ranked fighter in the weight class.

Alexander Volkanovski backed to make UFC return despite recent knockout loss: ‘He doesn’t have any symptoms’

Alexander Volkanovski backed to make UFC return despite KO loss he has no symptomsFormer UFC featherweight champion Alexander Volkanovski appears to have recovered well following his loss to Ilia Topuria.  Topuria would…

Alexander Volkanovski backed to make UFC return despite KO loss he has no symptoms

Former UFC featherweight champion Alexander Volkanovski appears to have recovered well following his loss to Ilia Topuria. 

Topuria would hand Volkanovski his second successive knockout in just three months earlier this month. Ever the competitor, Alexander Volkanvoski wants to get the rematch on but will have to take some time out after two heaving stoppage losses. 

Alexander Volkanovski recovering well from KO loss at UFC 298

On a positive note, one of Alexander Volkanovski’s coaches Eugene Bareman said that the 35-year-old is showing good signs in terms of a concussion, but will still have to take a needed, and deserved break. 

“In terms of his symptoms, he doesn’t have any symptoms,” Bareman said during an interview with Combat TV. “Which was not the case in the last knockout. There’s so many variables when it comes to having a knockout and how much, how many symptoms you suffer, and all of that. I don’t know the science behind it and I’m not gonna begin to try to understand it. But he seems to not be as affected by this concussion as he was by the last one. I won’t be able to tell you why.” 

“He definitely needs to rest. He needs to rest his head. But … he needs to be sensible, but he also will be very keen to get that rematch this year.”

When Volkaonvski does return, Bareman believes that it should be in a rematch against Topuria. The City Kickboxing coach credits Volkaonvski for how he has held himself both in, and out, of the cage. 

“I think he’s done everything that he needs to do as a champion, represented himself, his family, his team, and most of all the company well. He’s been a long-standing champion, he’s defended many times, fought through injuries, taken fights on short notice for the company. He checks every box there is in relation to getting an immediate rematch,” Bareman said.

“And one of the other important boxes he checks: is there a bigger fight to make than that fight in the division? And the answer is no, there’s not. So the team is doing everything we can to secure the rematch and we’ll do everything in our power to turn that result around.”

Will Alexander Volkanovski become UFC champion again?

Ilia Topuria warns Alexander Volkanovski away from rematch fight: ‘For his own sake, he shouldn’t’

Ilia Topuria warns Alexander Volkanovski away from UFC rematch for his own sake he shouldn'tUndisputed featherweight champion, Ilia Topuria has heaped praise on recent foe, ex-champion, Alexander Volkanovski following his surprising win at…

Ilia Topuria warns Alexander Volkanovski away from UFC rematch for his own sake he shouldn't

Undisputed featherweight champion, Ilia Topuria has heaped praise on recent foe, ex-champion, Alexander Volkanovski following his surprising win at UFC 298 earlier this month, however, in the same breathe, warned the Australian away from a title rematch in the future – for his own sake.

Topuria, who headlined UFC 298 earlier this month, managed to turn in a spectacular second round win over featherweight-perfect gold holder, Volkanovski in the pair’s title fight in Anaheim, stopping the New South Wales favorite with a blistering knockout win.

And welcoming the possibility of a return at a proposed UFC Spain event – potentially at the Santiago Bernabeu stadium – home to La Liga giants, Real Madrid, Topuira has been linked with an immediate rematch against Volkanovski, who himself has voiced his interest in fighting the Spaniard again. 

“Next time it’ll be different, but I’m going to just have a little bit of a rest,” Alexander Volkanovski said on after UFC 298. “I definitely want that rematch [with Ilia Topuria]. Spain, what I’m hearing, is gonna happen. Dana (White) wants Spain. Obviously, Ilia wants Spain.”

“That probably won’t be until later this year, so the timing would be perfect for me to spend time with the fa, rest up a little bit, look after myself and then we’ll get back in there,” Alexander Volkanovski explained. “We’ll make it right.” 

Ilia Topuria issues warning to Alexander Volkanovski

And warning the Joe Lopez trainee away from pursuing an immediate title re-run in the future, Topuria appeared to shut down a rematch with Volkanovksi next – for the sake of the Australian.

“It has been an honor to share the Octagon with [Alexander Volkanovski],” Ilia Topuria told El Hormiguero during a recent interview. “He has been pound-for-pound number one. For his sake, he shouldn’t take revenge.” 

Who wins in a future title rematch: Ilia Topuria or Alexander Volkanovski?