Alexander Volkanovski’s head coach has revealed how close his superstar came to missing last Sunday’s UFC blockbuster, saying only four weeks out from the event “we didn’t think he was going to fight”.
The surprise admission comes as the UFC champ’s latest victim, Brazilian Diego Lopes, also revealed the full extent of his own injuries suffered during a tough 25 minutes at UFC 325.
Elsewhere, Hall of Famer Daniel Cormier has gifted Volkanovski high praise for what he believes could be a long second title reign – and as the two men most likely to face the champ next, Movsar Evloev and Lerone Murphy, are paired up for what will likely be a London eliminator.
UFC 326 Holloway vs Oliveira 2 | SUN 8 MARCH 1PM AEDT | After 11 years removed from their first encounter, Max Holloway will face the former lightweight champ Charles Oliveira for the BMF Championship, in Las Vegas. | Order Now with Main Event on Kayo Sports.
In what was an eye-catching start to his second UFC featherweight reign, Volkanovski produced an MMA masterclass to defeat Lopes in Sydney on Sunday.
Despite being dropped in the third round, Volk produced an otherwise near faultless performance to eventually take the rematch on all three judges’ scorecards: 49-46, 49-46 and 50-45.
Yet in an interview with UFC commentator Cormier afterwards, Volkanovski’s coach Joe Lopez revealed how his charge had suffered a serious injury only a month before fight week.
Lopez added that pulling out had been a serious consideration for the team.
“To be fair, Alex, four weeks ago, we didn’t think he was going to fight,” the coach told Cormier. “He pulled his shoulder out. Really. He’s been compromised for the last four weeks with a busted shoulder.”
Certainly Volk never seemed troubled by the injury through five rounds, with Lopez saying the most important change from the pair’s first fight at UFC 314 was mental.
“Like I’ve been saying, after the first fight, Volk was sort of second-guessing himself the whole of the first Diego camp,” the coach said. “With this camp, Volk was back to himself. He was confident, didn’t have to say anything, it was just old Volk back again.”
While Volkanovski may have been quietly nursing an injury in the build to Sunday, his Brazilian rival was more than a little banged up afterwards.
Only hours after the fight had finished, it was revealed Lopes had potentially broken both feet competing before a crowd of some 20,000, which included the likes of Steve Waugh, Anthony Mundine and Nathan Cleary.
VOLKANOVSKI DOES IT AGAIN! | 02:51
Initially, Lopes’s manager Jason House shared an Instagram post that showed his client sitting on the side of a Sydney hospital bed, with the words: “Looks like we broke both feet”.
Soon after, the Brazilian fighter reposted the photo, seemingly endorsing the post where House also wrote: “Some nights you’re at the afterparty, some nights you’re at the ER. But every morning I give thanks for the opportunity to live this life with my best friends”.
In the 24 hours since however, Lopes has clarified the situation on social media.
“Everything is fine,” the Brazilian wrote. “The initial diagnosis at the arena was that I might have broken both feet.
“We went to the hospital, they ran tests and everything was fine — just some fractures in both feet but surgery isn’t necessary. I’ll be using boots and crutches for a few weeks.”
No timeline was given for his return.
The revelation came as Cormier also stressed Volkanovski had now solidified his status as the greatest UFC featherweight ever — surpassing Brazilian legend Jose Aldo.
While discussions have long centred around whether Volk or Aldo boast the division’s GOAT tag, Cormier says the Sydneysider has now surpassed ‘The King of Rio’.
The retired American champ also enthused about how, immediately after his latest title win, Volkanovski also then went and called out the division’s two toughest possible opponents – who together have gone undefeated through 37 fights.
“Nobody wants to fight Movsar,” Cormier said on his YouTube channel. “Nobody wants to fight Lerone.
“Volk is like, ‘well, if they’re next, that’s who I’m fighting’.
UFC 326 Holloway vs Oliveira 2 | SUN 8 MARCH 1PM AEDT | After 11 years removed from their first encounter, Max Holloway will face the former lightweight champ Charles Oliveira for the BMF Championship, in Las Vegas. | Order Now with Main Event on Kayo Sports.
Volk hypes crowd with hilarious moment | 00:31
“He’s not trying to pick fights. He’s not trying to get the easiest path.
“He just wants to fight those guys.
“I’m telling you, he’s the greatest featherweight of all time.
“I know we love Jose Aldo. I know we love Max Holloway.
“But (Volkanovski) just won his eighth UFC featherweight title fight.
“(He’s got) four victories against Holloway and Aldo, the two other guys considered the greatest featherweights of all time.
“He’s the best in the world, and he’s as good as they come.
“The guy is tremendous, and I really don’t see him slowing down anytime soon.”
Elsewhere, UFC executives have finally confirmed an upcoming London showcase will be headlined by those same two men considered next up for Volkanovski – Evloev and Murphy.
The promotion announced Tuesday that the unbeaten featherweights will have top billing on an O2 Arena card on March 22.
For Evloev, the event ends a hiatus of some 16 months, having last defeated Aljamain Sterling at UFC 310 in December 2024.
Murphy, meanwhile, is coming off a UFC Knockout of the Year contender against Aaron Pico at UFC 319 last August.
In the UK London co-main event, Paddy Pimblett’s team-mate Luke Riley squares off against fellow lightweight Michael Aswell.
Elsewhere, Michael Page makes his return to welterweight to face Sam Patterson, while Australia’s new breakout heavyweight Brando Pericic faces Louie Sutherland in the preliminaries.
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