Alexander Volkanovski har ett huvudmål i sitt första titelförsvar: avsluta Max Holloway.
Fjäderviktsmästaren uttalade sig som följande till MMA Junkie:
I’ve already beat him. I know I can do that. Now I want to finish him. A lot of people think he can’t be finished. I truly do believe I can.
Volkanovski (21-1 MMA, 8-0 UFC) och Holloway (21-5 MMA, 17-5 UFC) möttes första gången i december där australiensaren besegrade helgens utmanare via enhälligt domslut och då erövrade titeln. Denna helg blir det rematch vid UFC 251 som äger rum på Yas Island i Abu Dhabi.
Trots att han denna gång går in i matchen som mästare säger Volkanovski att det inte känns annorlunda än förra gången förutom när det kommer till de förändrade förutsättningarna i att förbereda sig under en coronapandemi.
I swear I feel the same every time, no matter how big the fight is. I’ve got a job to do, and that’s it. That’s how I look at it.
These are obviously crazy times. Everything does feel a little bit different – ‘Fight Island,’ all the protocols that we’ve got to go through. At the same time, I just play whatever is in front of me. I’m still getting my sessions in, still doing what needs to be done.
Volkanovski tror att kontinuiteten och den mentala stabiliteten har varit nyckeln till hans framgångsrika obesegrade svit på 18 raka där de 8 senaste varit inom UFC.
You always know you’re one of the best fighters in the world, you always tell yourself that, but to go out there and prove it is another thing. So that’s obviously an unreal feeling. You’ve got a belt that you can now say you are the best featherweight in the world. Obviously it does change a little bit. But what was really good for me to know is that the belt didn’t change me at all, one bit. I’m exactly who I was before I got that belt. I’m exactly who I was 10 years ago.
I go back home. I’m still daddy. I’ve still got three girls bossing me around, telling me what to do, you know what I mean? It’s good to know, yeah, you are the best fighter in the world, but at the end of the day, you are you. Nothing changes. It hasn’t gone to your head, and I’m proud of that. Some people will pretend to be something they’re not, but that’s me. I’m proud of who I am, and I don’t need a belt to change me.
Nu hoppas Volkanovski cementera sin position som mästare genom att ta hem en andra seger mot Holloway som flera ansett vara den bästa inom fjäderviktens historia. Trots att förutsättningarna är tuffare i en pandemi tvekade inte Volkanvski att acceptera matchen på platsen som UFC kallar ’Fight Island’.
I wanted to fight here, to be honest. I only had six weeks’ notice for this fight. It was still a fight that I wanted. I knew that this was a big opportunity – first fight on ‘Fight Island.’ No other sports. I wanted to get a fight in while there’s no other sports really happening, and again, three title fights on this card.
This card is huge, massive, and I wanted to be a part of it. I made sure that happened. Again, I don’t need much time to get ready. If we get a few weeks, I’m fight-fit, so I’m in good nick. I’m ready to roll. I’ve got something to prove. I wanted to get out here and compete, show everyone that I’m the best featherweight in the world. I want to put Max away.
Vill avsluta Holloway för att bevisa sig som den främste fjäderviktaren
Volkanovski är fullt medveten att Holloways bästa ögonblick i det första mötet kom sent i matchen. Mästaren är dock snabb med att påpeka att han hade en fraktur i handen i slutet av matchen. Efter att ha gått 25 minuter mot hawaiianen är dock mästaren säker på att matchningen passar honom väl:
I feel like this is going to be extra rounds. I felt him out. Now I can do a little bit more. I don’t have a broken hand. I don’t have to finish the last round with a broken hand. I get to go there healthy and with a good game plan, knowing what I can do and what will happen, so I’m looking forward to this.
I might sound real confident, but that’s because I am. I am very confident, and I believe in my abilities, and I’m going to show the world I”m the best featherweight in the world, and that’s it.
Volkanovski är säker på att det finns ett enkelt sätt att visa för alla att han verkligen är den främsta fjäderviktaren i världen.
I’m going for the finish, and I think it is going to be a finish. I have a lot of respect for him as a fighter, who he is. He’s a durable fighter, as well, got a great chin, so me putting him away is really sending a statement, and that really, really cements me into where I want to be, so that’s what I plan on doing.
Fjäderviktsmatchen kommer att vara delad huvudmatch på galan.
