Alexander Volkanovski Voices Only Regret Fighting Ilia Topuria at UFC 298

Alexander Volkanovski says Ilia Topuria wouldn't have knocked him out, had he not fought Islam Makhachev four months prior.

Christopher De Santiago | Oct 28, 2024

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Alexander Volkanovski was well aware of the risks that came with fighting at UFC 298.

Ilia Topuria & Max Holloway Rule Out Quick Turnaround at UFC 312

It was a rather speedy turnaround for the UFC Featherweight Champion, who returned to action earlier this year just four months after he was knocked out by Islam Makhachev in a short-notice attempt to win lightweight gold at UFC 294. Volkanovski wouldn't last much longer in his title fight against Ilia Topuria, losing his featherweight belt by second round KO.

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Volkanovski Reflects On Fighting Topuria: "The Only Thing I Regret..."

Sidelined ever since and cageside for Topuria's unprecedented knockout of Max Holloway, Volkanovski looks back on what transpired in February and if he could have changed any of it.

"No. I don't think I regret it," Volkanovski said of his four-month turnaround to fight Topuria on the Ariel Helwani Show. "That's who I am. That's what's made me the the champion I was. A lot of people think it's just a bad idea, but if you look at it going in, that's me challenging myself.

"Me taking on Islam, obviously, the timing thing was was there, but the only thing I regret is, I wish I was, especially before the Islam one, I just wish I was more prepared. I wish I was training more and in a better position, but I do not regret taking them fights because as I said, that's just who I've always been."

One of the most active champions we've ever seen in the UFC, Volkanovski fought three times last year alone, agreeing to face lightweight champ Islam Makhachev on 11 days notice halfway across the world in Abu Dhabi.

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While the decision to fight Makhachev and Topuria on short notice was met with much backlash as it hurt his chances of winning, Volkanovski says that very mentality is what made him into the long-standing UFC champion he was for several years.

"If I wasn't the guy that would take on them challenges and wouldn't do that, I wouldn't be talking to you right now. I'd be just another guy here in Wollongong maybe still playing rugby league and at a lower level maybe."

"It's easy to look at it in hindsight and be like, oh, that was a silly decision but that's who I am. People respect that. I think a lot of people can learn from that as well."

#OnThisDay in 2023: Islam Makhachev silenced his critics with this KO against Alexander Volkanovski 😱

Watch their rematch in full on @UFCFightPass 📺 pic.twitter.com/wjShwtyxES
— UFC Europe (@UFCEurope) October 21, 2024

Butterfly Effect

Had Charles Oliveira not withdrawn from his title fight with Islam Makhachev at UFC 294 and Volkanovski gone on to fight Ilia Topuria under better circumstances, would Alexander "The Great" have prevailed then?

"That's a tricky one," Volkanovski answered. "I've always known that the only way I lose is if I get caught. Maybe with Islam, he could take you in to to deep waters, and then, you know, you might be able to have the a close fight like we did...

"Me fighting so soon later, maybe I just didn't get to fight my fight. Doesn't mean [Topuria] couldn't catch me. It doesn't mean that I wouldn't be able to be knocked out, and I was only knocked out because of what happened with Islam. I would've been a lot more comfortable and happy with myself if I was able to fight my fight and go into camp, not avoiding contact and being careful with things."

Despite back-to-back losses in title fights, Alexander Volkanovski's next fight will likely be a rematch with Ilia Topuria given the work he's done for the UFC in recent years.