There’s much anticipation for the UFC’s next numbered event, this one being held at Fight Island, and one fight that stands out from the rest of the card is Max Holloway versus Alexander Volkanovski.
There’s always a debate surrounding it when a champion loses and receives an immediate rematch, rather than other contenders getting a shot to take the belt, but few will contest that Holloway deserves this title shot – Holloway’s own run as featherweight champion was dominant, and his track record warrants the second shot at beating Volkanovski.
But if seeing if the former champion can get his belt back or not isn’t a good enough reason to pay attention to this fight, the potential rivalry between fighters may be. It looks like such a rivalry could be emerging based on the talk between Holloway and Volkanovski during the buildup to this matchup.
What have the fighters been saying?
“Did any of you guys interview him here? How’s he talking? Is he talking like a champion? At the end of the day, I feel like he’s attacking me. He called me out to fight. That (sounds like) something a challenger does, doesn’t it?” Holloway told MMA Junkie on Tuesday.
“He’s the one who’s been saying he’s got a chip on his shoulder about something. He’s ready to prove something,” Holloway continued.
Volkanovski is the current champion and undefeated in the UFC, but to say he has something to prove isn’t necessarily a stretch. Unlike Holloway, Volkanovski only entered the UFC in 2016. He has less total fights, and he has yet to defend the belt. In the eyes of many fans, Holloway is likely still the better fighter at featherweight.
There’s also an argument to be made that Volkanovski’s statements are pretty light, in UFC terms. In the same sport where brawls have happened due to pre-fight trash talk, and where it’s often considered a normal part of selling the fight, Volkanovski gave his opponent due respect despite showing confidence in his own skills.
“He’s a great fighter. I’ve got a lot of respect for him as a fighter – so does my team,” Volkanovski said. But also claimed that his chances of finishing Holloway are a hundred percent.
Holloway had his own remarks
Holloway had his own opinions about Volkanovski’s remarks. According to him, the champion doesn’t have to make statements like these.
“If you believe you’re the champ, who are you trying to prove anything to? I’m not trying to prove anything to (anyone). I knew I was the champ. There are certain things, like the belt, that is for people to understand where I was coming from. At the end of the day, his interviews speak for themselves. You can go look and tell me any different,” Holloway said on Tuesday.
But at the end of the day, Holloway claims it’s just another fight. “I got five of those titles at home. They’re all in my closet… At the end of the day, it’s just another fight. The belt is the belt, like I said.”