So, get this. Alexander Volkanovski, yeah, the MMA champ, was hitting the bottle daily before his big rematch with Islam Makhachev last October. Crazy, right?
And it’s not like he was just chilling. The guy was coming off a win against Yair Rodriguez in July. Plus, he was dealing with a hand surgery recovery. But then, boom, he falls into this drinking routine.
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When the opportunity to face Makhachev on short notice popped up, Volkanovski couldn’t resist. The chance to avenge his UFC 284 loss was too tempting. But, the fight? Ouch. A Round 1 head kick knockout. Still, it’s not the loss that’s eating at him.
Volkanovski spilled the beans on Israel Adesanya’s YouTube channel. “It was like a wake-up call,” he admitted. He’s always been Mr. Discipline, but not this time. And it bugged him, big time.
He went on, “Honestly, drinking every day? That’s just not me.” But there he was, trying to keep busy post-surgery and lending a hand at home, and somehow, those drinks started to seem like a good idea. Too good, actually.
Even the day before he got the call to fight, he knew he had to cut it out. Weighing in at 183 pounds, his gym buddies couldn’t help but laugh. He’d never been that heavy.
But then, the fight announcement. “This is it,” he thought. “Time to snap out of it.” Despite the loss to Makhachev, Volkanovski isn’t holding grudges. “Losing sucks, but losing to someone like Islam? It’s okay. I know I can beat him,” he said, giving props where due.
Next up? Volkanovski’s defending his title against Ilia Topuria, the undefeated Spanish sensation, at UFC 298. It’s going down on Feb. 17 at the Honda Center in Anaheim, California. Should be a blast, right?