‘Take you to f***ing war’: Wild UFC threat as shirtless Volk’s bizarre act for rival stuns

So Alexander Volkanovski walked on stage for this one shirtless, and wearing an apron.

Same as within minutes, Australia’s most dangerous man was singing for the crowd, laughing off retirement talk, even taking time to praise that now undeniably signature hairstyle of Brazilian rival Diego Lopes.

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“Give it up for the mullet,” Volkanovski shouted.

To which Lopes then politely removed his black cowboy hat.

Which was only fair given, moments earlier, it was him who had asked the champ to sing.

Which Volk did.

All of which created a wonderfully unlikely UFC 325 press conference exchange which, eventually, finished with the headliners leaning around behind host Jon Anik’s lectern to slap hands.

Which is some way to disguise everything coming, right?

Understanding that while Thursday evening’s Sydney press event may have been one of the tamest in memory, it belies the violence bubbling away underneath in the likes of Dan Hooker, Tai Tuivasa, even breakout Aussie prospect Quillin Salkilld.

Same deal too, Australia’s UFC featherweight king.

A fella who while not exactly going to the extremes of his previous ‘Old Man Volk’ skits, still walked out onto stage wearing the newest offering from his Cooking With Volk merchandise range.

An apron not only splashed with an image of chest circa fight week, but with the UFC gold strap sitting right there beneath it.

“Ah, great opportunity,” Volk then said when asked of everything coming Sunday, when he defends at home for the first time in what will undeniably be a Hall of Fame career.

“A lot of people ask is there pressure fighting at home?

“But I go ‘no, it’s an opportunity to give my family, my friends, my real supporters a chance to have a big moment they will remember forever’.”

And as for that forever moment comes within a firefight?

“A guy like Diego Lopes?” Volk responded. “You know he’s going to bring it.

COLUMN: Beautiful act that makes Volk rival impossible to hate; why The Rock loves Aussie gun – Fighting Words

“He’s a gamer.

“He’s going to want to get in my face and make it a fight. So we’ll have no choice but to fight.

“And that’s why you’ll all have a great Sunday.”

Yet while the UFC champ hardly spoke like a man of violence, the same – unsurprisingly, of course – couldn’t be said for that New Zealand berserker otherwise known as UFC lightweight Hooker.

“There will be blood, boy,” the Kiwi shouted at one point.

Reminded his French rival Benoit Saint Denis, a former special forces soldier, was himself being hyped up as a Baddest Mother F***er contender, and Hooker grinned: “Don’t tempt me with a good time brother.

“You wanna go to war, I’ll take you to f***ing war.”

For his part, BSD not only suggested their co-main didn’t even need selling, so obvious was everything coming, but he then doubled down with “let’s go for a bloodbath”.

Elsewhere, the weekend also hails the return of Mt Druitt slugger ‘Bam Bam’ Tuivasa.

That popular Sydney streetfighter who, despite riding a five-fight losing streak, is convinced he can punch his way – boom, boom, boom – all the way back to a UFC heavyweight title shot.

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“F***ing miss this s***, ay,” the big fella started by way of an opening monologue.

Then, pointing to a bunch of loose youngsters in the crowd, he cackled: “There’s a bunch of kids here off their heads … eeeshay.”

And as for getting himself back on a winning streak in 2026?

“That’s my plan,” said the man who faces Tallison Teixeira. “I’ve got a challenge ahead of me this weekend and then we’ll go from there.”

And as for how tough this camp has been?

“It was hard at the start,” he shrugged, “because I was fat as f***.

“But I’m all good now.

“I had to miss the sport.

“Getting your head punched in and losing, and losing, trying to come back, it’s hard.

“But I’m ready to get back on a winning streak now.

“I’m ready to go hard and give it my all.”

Ditto Lopes.

Although just like Volkanovski, this Brazilian who fought for the title only nine months ago, and was beaten by decision, also refused to talk bad about his rival.

“The respect with Volk is good,” he said. “There is no talk s*** to put on a show for you guys.

“We’ll put on a show in the Octagon.

“Not outside.”

Then, he continued: “Volk has a lot of experience, a lot of fights and is so smart.

“But it’s my time to take the belt.”

For Volk, meanwhile, the most telling line was one of his shortest.

“I may be 37,” the champ grinned, “but I’ve still got it, don’t worry about that”.

And so it continued in a press event where Volk was asked four, maybe five times about fighting at home, Tuivasa was quizzed on reviving the Shoey, and Rafael Fiziev was asked about one of his cornerman having wanted to fight a kangaroo?

“Fight kangaroo?” he replied. “Bro, yesterday I see the kangaroo legs and they have dangerous s*** man.

“I not agree he fight that because he’s my good friend.

“Me too. F***, that.”

Elsewhere, Volk spoke of using any win bonus to buy a bobcat, or bulldozer, for his farm, while Lopes also urged the champ to gift the crowd with one of his impromptu karaoke sessions, shouting: “Hey, Volk, sing again.

“For the guys, c’mon. C’mon Volk ..”

And that’s all it took.

With the champ starting: “Because tonight will be the night that I will fall for you …”

Unsurprisingly, nobody asked Dan Hooker to sing.

Although at one point, he was quizzed about potentially taking on hyped UK fighter Paddy Pimblett in victory?

“F*** Paddy Pimblett,” the Kiwi spat.

Understanding for Hooker, there is never any hiding anything.