Retirement is not on Alexander Volkanovski's mind. Speaking to ESPN after a session at the new home of Freestyle MMA, the UFC featherweight champion promised a performance at UFC 333 that will leave MMA fans in awe. "You guys will come out of this being like that's one of Volk's best performances. That's the best way for me to put it," he said.
The gym, roughly 10 times the size of coach Joe Lopez's former premises, reflects the duo's rise from relative MMA obscurity to the top of the UFC pound-for-pound rankings. Volkanovski now sits at No. 7 on ESPN's pound-for-pound chart. He faces undefeated Russian fighter Movsar Evloev, a bout that will be his 33rd professional fight, 12th UFC title fight and 19th in the promotion overall.
Despite being a two-time world champion who has broken records and once held the No. 1 pound-for-pound spot, Volkanovski says his achievements do not weigh on him. "I don't live my life thinking I've done that," he admitted. He is now 38, and questions about whether he can keep competing in one of the world's most brutal sports grow louder, but he says they wash over him.
His life outside the Octagon has expanded considerably. He runs a successful YouTube channel that includes the "Cooking with Volk" series, operates his own clothing label, and recently attended the premiere of the new "Street Fighter" film, in which he plays Joe. He also manages a small hobby farm and is raising four young daughters with his wife, Emma.
Retirement no longer scares him, and he is not ready to accept that his UFC career is over. Facing an undefeated 20-0 fighter who has never lost in the UFC appeals to him. "To fight an undefeated guy... it's cool for [my] legacy. I love it," Volkanovski said. He added that he intends to prove he can still beat the best.
Source: ESPN General · Summarized by HeadlinesBriefing