Many are questioning whether Alexander Volkanovski returned to fighting too soon after his knockout loss to Ilia Topuria at UFC 298, with concerns about the impact of quick turnarounds and potential damage to his health.
Did Alexander Volkanovski rush his comeback? That’s the question on everyone’s lips since his reign as UFC featherweight champion ended. He suffered a brutal knockout loss to Ilia Topuria at UFC 298.
This was Volkanovski’s second consecutive knockout loss. He previously fell to a first-round head kick from UFC lightweight champion Islam Makhachev. This was in a short-notice bout last October.
His quick return to the ring, just four months after his first knockout defeat, raised eyebrows. Michael Chandler, three-time Bellator lightweight champion, is a huge Volkanovski fan. But even he can’t ignore the concerns.
Chandler shared his thoughts on The MMA Hour. “I hate to reinforce the idea of someone making a bad decision, but it does seem that way, doesn’t it?” he said. “Volk took that fight on short notice, then fought again just three or four months later. That means he was back in training camp, sparring, taking hits to the head again, just a month or two later. It’s not the right recipe.”
Chandler continued, “Your brain can shut off, your body can shut off. There’s a diminishing effect when it comes to taking punches. I don’t want to say that’s why it happened, but I want the best for Volk. I’d like to see him take a break, spend time with his family, stay involved but avoid taking any punches to the head. We need him in the sport for a bit longer.”
Volkanovski, now 35, is 1-3 in his last four fights. This is after a legendary 12-0 run in his UFC career, where he won the featherweight title and defended it five times.
On the flip side, Topuria, 27, seems to be a rising star. He’s a perfect 15-0 in his MMA career (7-0 UFC) and is a breakout figure in Spain. After his win, Topuria challenged Conor McGregor to a fight in his home country.
Chandler, who has been waiting for his own McGregor fight, isn’t bothered by Topuria’s request. He just wants the new champ to wait his turn.
“More power to him,” Chandler said. “He’s undefeated, he’s salty, he’s young but not that young. He’s 27, right? He’s firing on all cylinders. I was there that night [at UFC 298], I was cageside front row watching it. I was honestly rooting for Volk. If you don’t like Alexander Volkanovski, I don’t know if you can be an MMA fan. He’s one of the most beloved figures in the sport. I love him, everyone loves him. So I was rooting for Volk. The way [Topuria] got the KO, man, Ilia Topuria is legit. He’s not fighting Conor next in Spain, but say the guy’s name, maybe you’ll get it after I dispatch of him.”
After his UFC 298 loss, Volkanovski asked for an immediate rematch with Topuria. The UFC hasn’t committed to Topuria’s next step yet. Regardless of whether Volkanovski gets his rematch or not, Chandler hopes the former champ learns from his mistakes. He advises him to take more time to rest and recover before jumping back into a fight against one of the most dangerous talents in the featherweight division.
“Definitely a little bit longer than after the Islam fight, right?” Chandler said of Volkanovski. “And it’s mainly because I freaking love the dude, man. He’s a great athlete, a great ambassador for the sport, a great champion. I can’t say enough great things about him. We need to protect guys like that, the good ones in the sport. Protect Volk at all costs.”