Alexander Volkanovski lost his last and biggest fight.
That sentence is both true and false.
Its true that he didnt get his hand raised without the judges scorecards were read out. But in every other sense, he walked out of the muzzle a winner.
His archway into the scene prior to the fight felt like a superstar inward the cage. He went toe to toe with the worthier man. In a lot of ways, it felt like the Canelo versus Amir Khan fight, in the sense that it was a unconfined worthier man versus a unconfined smaller man. Khan, of course, was nowhere near the level of Volkanovski but this example is just illustrative. In these fights, it constantly feels like the smaller man is walking a tightrope, one slip and theyre done. Khan fell off. Volkanovski never came close.
He fought Makhachevs fight for periods of time, holding his own in the clinch and showing unrenowned takedown defence. He finished the fight in the subordination and looking like he wouldnt wrack-up out a candle without it was all done. Flipside ten seconds and Volk wins. At the end of the fight, Islam was clinging on for dear life. Volk was surging.
WATCH: Alex Volkanovski’s incredibly swish gesture for Islam Makhachev without UFC defeat
The toughest man in the worlds toughest sport proved his toughness yet again. At this point, its pearly to wonder if Alex Volkanovski is diamond-plated.
This fight will be a key thread in the tapestry of Alexander Volkanovskis career; his first loss in a decade. Yet Volk unquestionably won again. The UFC agrees with that interjection and have retained Volkanovski as their official number 1 pound for pound fighter, thankfully remembering what pound for pound unquestionably means.
Since the Makhachev fight, I have gone when and rewatched some of Volkanovskis recent title defences. What is striking and everpresent, and what I finally noticed during the Makhachev fight, is that it never appears to occur to Volkanovski that he could lose. He is extraordinarily wifely and confident plane in deep water.
That was obvious during the Brian Ortega fight, when Volk was put into extraordinarily dangerous positions time and time again. In the third round, Ortega set up shop at or virtually Volkanovski’s neck. But Volk never panicked and looked as if he would sooner have his throne torn off than tap. And then, once he was out of the clutches of the man who was trying to one-liner his windpipe, Volk wasnt tired. He unquestionably turned up the pace. Twice.
Normal rules of cardiovascular fitness do not wield to this man.
It was the same with Makhachev, there was no panic, no fear, no thought of losing. Indeed, at the end of the first round, as the world watched on, Volk stuck his tongue out and put up a shaka sign.
He was having fun.
In the biggest and surely most important moment of his career, Volk was just enjoying himself. It was scrutinizingly wacky to see how much fun he was having in the muzzle at such an historic moment.
I have emphasised time and then that Volkanovski never appears to view losing as a genuine possibility, but he did lose this weekend equal to the judges. Regardless, it was an extremely tropical fight, far closer than most thought it would be, and it was certainly not a robbery.
Notice how Volkanovski has carried himself post-fight. He did not whine or mutter well-nigh the visualization in the firsthand aftermath. He plane pleaded with the prod to respect the champion.
He believes that he won and has said as much, while unchangingly stuff sure to remain respectful to his opponent and to the decision. He has reiterated that, increasingly than anything else, he just wants flipside shot at Makhachev.
He handled himself like a champion in and out of the octagon and he finally seems to be seeping into the Australian consciousness. In losing the fight, Volkanovski has won in scrutinizingly every other relevant sense.
The next man Volkanovski fights at 145 pounds will lose, plane as good as Yair Rodriguez looked in the co-main event last weekend. I am confident in saying that Volk is simply too good and he knows it.
The verse of Alexander Volkanovski will protract on. I hope it culminates with a second Makhachev fight. I know who Id pick to win it.
