Alexander Volkanovski is under no illusions about still being in his prime, but he’s planning on performing like he is.
In October, Volkanovski defends his featherweight title against Movsar Evloev in the main event of UFC 333. Volkanovski will enter the cage at 38 years old, leading fans to wonder how much longer the featherweight champ has left in the sport. But Volkanovski says none of those questions are going to be valid after the performance he gives at UFC 333.
“I believe I get to go out there at 38 years old and fight a perfect fight, where people are going to think, ‘What?! This guy’s still got another 10 years left in him!’” Volkanovski told Main Event. “Which probably isn’t the case, but I honestly think that’s going to be the conversation after I get the job done.
Already considered to be one of the greatest fighters of all time, Volkanovski sits in rarefied air even holding a title at this age, and he admits it would be “cool” to defend the featherweight title at 38. But for him, this fight is more about the prospect of taking on an undefeated fighter in his prime and shutting him down completely.
“I want to fight the best,” Volkanovski said. “Don’t come to me with your half-ass, ‘I don’t want to wrestle because I want to entertain.’ No. That ain’t happening. I want to fight the best. I’ve always wanted to fight the best. I wanted the biggest challenge. For me, stylistically, I think it’s a great fight for me, and I don’t think it’s the craziest challenge for me. But he’s the best guy, who deserves it, and I’m the champ that fights the best guys, and that’s that. …
“He doesn’t have the knockout power threat. But, in saying that, because I’m so confident in my takedown defense, in my game, that his best bet is to knock me out. A lot of people are like, ‘He’s going to just try and wrestle.’ That’s gonna be thrown out the window after one or two rounds. He’s gonna be getting too tired to want to keep trying to take me down.
“So literally, I believe he’d be better off just swinging and trying to catch me. Honestly, that’s what I truly believe. No one in my division can beat me in a decision. And I know that seems to be the only way he wins, but against me that ain’t happening. I truly do believe that.”
Instead, what Volkanovski believes will happen is the type of vintage performance that leaves fans flabbergasted and truly proves how great he is.
“I think it’s pretty obvious what I’ll do to Movsar,” Volkanovski said. “Movsar’s gonna want to shoot. He knows how to win, he knows how to get the fight where he wants it, but that just ain’t gonna happen with me. Movsar will look for the takedown. It ain’t gonna work. Even if he does get my back to the mat, I’m bouncing straight back up. I’m breaking free, I’m in his face, and I’m gonna be putting hands on him. I truly do believe I’m going to put it on Movsar. …
“You will definitely be saying, ‘This, honestly, looks like Volk in his prime.’ I honestly believe headlines are going to be — that narrative after this fight. Is it because I’m in my prime? No. It’s because that’s the fight; that’s how that fight is going to play out.
“I think that this is the perfect matchup for me, where I get to go out there and shine, probably greater than I’ve shined in there. This could be one of my great performances — at 38 years old. Which is pretty cool.”
UFC 333 takes place on Oct. 24 at Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi.
