Alex Volkanovski and Fighter Activity

Alexander Volkanovski deserves a standing ovation for his dedication to the combat sports world. Many fighters are comfortable with inactivity. Inactivity across divisions is an issue the community is working through currently. Too many people have become content with fighting once a year for a check and returning to media silence. Being at home with one's family provides much-needed downtime for a combat sports athlete, and most look forward to wrapping up a training camp and fight because it means there will be a short break between their next contest and the current post-fight period. Not all combat sports athletes are created equal, however. Some feel out of place when they are inactive, and it has negative effects on mental health. The craft has already become such an important part of many people's lives, that it can be difficult to let go of in day-to-day living. For some, fighting is the only way that stability can be achieved. One such case is Alexander Volkanovski, who has had a string of impressive performances in his title appearances. Volkanovski won his championship from Max Holloway in controversial fashion in 2019. The general public believed Holloway did enough to win the fight, but the judges did not agree. The second fight produced the same results, and there wasn't a trilogy fight until after Volkanovski faced Brian Ortega and The Korean Zombie first. It wasn't until Volkanovski dominated Holloway in July 2022 that many began to realize that his challenges at 145 lbs were few and far between. No one at featherweight was good enough to beat Volkanovski, so the next weight class-up was the golden ticket for him. Volkanovski flirted with the idea of fighting Conor McGregor at lightweight, but with championship gold in mind, Islam Makhachev was the man to beat. The first time Volkanovski fought Makhachev, he dominated him and proved once again that a champion from a lower weight class can conquer the next weight up. However, the decision eluded him, causing public outrage surrounding yet another Volkanovski fight. Stewing at home after his last contest, Volkanovski could not say no to another opportunity to become a double champion. Islam Makhachev was training for Charles Oliveira, who had suffered an injury during camp and pulled out. The UFC 294 card suffered from other fights being rearranged, and "Alexander the Great" was willing to step up and save a fight that Dana White was heavily invested in. Both fights are rematches, but the world was graced with Volkanovski and Makhachev going to war first.

While he did lose the fight, Volkanovski still won over the public through his hard work and willingness to continue even with the odds against him. He was 181 pounds 11 days out from the fight. There was no way he could scramble together an entire training camp to meet all of his needs to match the pace and grit of Islam, and travel would also be a factor. The knockout was swift, but Volkanovski's defense seemed impenetrable. It is incredible to think that such a shot could have been delivered and landed with someone as defensively sound as Alexander Volkanovski, the featherweight champion of the world, on the other end of it. Islam's headkick was blocked, but not blocked high enough. Volkanovski properly raised his hand to guard, but it was not enough to prevent Islam's shin from rolling off of his head. It was a beautifully set-up kick, and it was incredibly effective, but it is proof that sometimes defense can still fail. A fighter can respond correctly and still get hurt, or even knocked out. It's important to remember that the reflexes needed to respond accurately to a strike such as a head-kick are superhuman, fast-twitch muscles working in tandem to create beautiful shoulder rolls, catches, and parries. Unfortunately, Volkanovski's impressive reflexes were not enough to fully shield him from the devastating head-kick finish that Islam delivered. A good example of this would be Giorgio Campanella vs. Oscar De La Hoya. Campanella brought his hands back up to guard appropriately, but he was just ever so slightly caught through the guard. Oscar was connecting through Campanella's gloves, sending a shockwave through his wrists and head. This was enough to drop and finish him, adding yet another name to the list of De La Hoya's victims. What separates Volkanovski from his competition is his spirit and incredibly deep personal relationship with combat sports. There have been few champions in combat sports history as eager as Volkanovski to defend and challenge others in a relatively quick fashion, it is commendable and almost invokes the energy of the prizefighters of old.