Alexander Volkanovski lost to Islam Makhachev in the first round of their fight at UFC 294, with Volkanovski attributing his hesitant performance to a restlessness and need for activity in his life outside of fighting.
In a highly anticipated rematch at UFC 294, Alexander Volkanovski faced off against Islam Makhachev for the lightweight title. Unfortunately for Volkanovski, it was Makhachev who emerged victorious once again, this time with a first-round knockout. This marked Volkanovski’s second loss by knockout in his career. Speaking at the post-fight press conference, Volkanovski admitted to a slow start and a hesitancy that he didn’t expect during the fight.
Despite accepting the fight on short notice, Volkanovski refused to use lack of preparation time as an excuse for his loss. He revealed that he had a restlessness that plagued him between fights and needed the opportunity to keep himself busy. While he acknowledged that he didn’t train as much as he should have, he felt compelled to take the fight. The UFC fighter expressed his struggle with inactivity, mentioning that it caused him stress, though he didn’t go into detail about the deeper issues behind it.
Prior to the Makhachev rematch, Volkanovski had plans to defend his featherweight title against Ilia Topuria at UFC 297 in January. However, he now needs time to consider his next move and emphasized the importance of training to keep himself healthy. Despite feeling hurt from the loss, he stated that he doesn’t believe he suffered a serious concussion.
In conclusion, Alexander Volkanovski faced defeat at the hands of Islam Makhachev in their rematch. While he acknowledged his slow start and hesitancy in the fight, he refused to make excuses and accepted the outcome. Volkanovski also opened up about his struggle with inactivity and the need to stay busy between fights. As he takes time to consider his next move, he emphasized the importance of training for his physical and mental health.