ABU DHABI — Alexander Volkanovski is all set for one of the biggest fights in Australian sports history this Sunday after shedding a staggering 12kg in 11 days, revealing: “The weight just fell off”.
Less than a fortnight after accepting a showdown against UFC lightweight king Islam Makhachev, Volkanovski has made weight here in Abu Dhabi – tipping the scales at 70.08kg.
The Australian poster boy was first fighter onto the scales for the official UFC 294 weigh-ins, saying as his numbers were read: “27.5 pounds in 11 days … too easy, let’s go”.
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Makhachev was next up and, despite question marks over his appearance right throughout fight week commitments, also made weight, hitting the scales slightly heavier at 70.3kg.
While the Dagestani superstar won the first fight between this pair back in February, a huge chunk of the headlines were given to accusations by Volkanovski’s team that Makhachev had illegally used an IV drip to rehydrate after enduring an arduous cut.
While the UFC champ strenuously denies the allegations, it has caused ongoing bad blood between the two camps which has only built up again this week.
Prior to the weigh-ins starting inside the luxurious Hilton hotel, there also initially appeared to be some drama when Makhachev was spotted walking towards the lobby in a white robe, sweating heavily – suggesting he had just made a late cut.
Minutes earlier, four men were also seen pushing a treadmill through the same lobby, suggesting someone, somewhere was requiring an 11th-hour sweat session.
Yet come weigh-in time there were no issues for either man, with Volk even smiling as he made weight and then did interviews afterwards, clutching a green Prime bottle.
Despite usually fighting a division down, the Wollongong father-of-three still had plenty of work to do in the build up considering he was only just back from a family holiday when the call came in for him to become a late title replacement for injured Brazilian Charles Oliveira.
Fox Sports Australia can reveal that so meticulous was Volkanovski’s cut on late notice however, he woke up on Friday needing to shed only the last 1.6kg.
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Speaking with interviewers afterwards, the UFC featherweight champ said of the massive loss: “I did have to cut a fair bit.
“When I got told (about the fight) I was reasonably heavy but, I dunno, man, my body knew what was up, flipped the switch and the weight just fell off.
“And now here we are fit and ready.”
Pushed on the late scramble, Volkanovski said he had “thought things I could’ve done” differently in the first fight and was now ready to make changes.
“I’ve worked on those things specifically and obviously still put myself in them hard rounds, deal with fatigue, put myself in a fight simulator and I was happy with the way things went,” he said.
“The day we left (for Abu Dhabi), that was my last hard fight simulator and I absolutely smashed it.
“I was really happy with that last hard session.
“I’ve been feeling great all week.”
Elsewhere, Volkanovski shrugged off another storyline of the week surrounding how the two headliners will have an additional 10 hours to refuel compared to what was allowed in Perth – which Makhachev has since complained out.
But as for having more time now to bulk back up?
“Mate, I don’t like to put back on too much weight,” Volkanovski said.
“Even when I’m fighting at featherweight I’ll usually telling my dietitian there are certain drinks I don’t want because I put on too much weight
“I move best when I’m that little bit lighter.
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“So I don’t think carrying that weight is that important.
“I back my strength and my skills.
“So even though I am reasonably heavy for the featherweight divisions, I could definitely get a few kilos heavier.
“But I wouldn’t be as sharp, wouldn’t be as mobile.
“I’m just as strong them few kilos lighter.
“Maybe now, I’ll get a kilo or too heavier but I want to be light, what I’ve been training at the last few week.
“It’s game time.
“I just want to get in there now.”
And as for defending both titles with a win Sunday?
“Everyone knows I want to keep both divisions busy. I know the UFC aren’t a fan of that.
“A lot can happen, you get an injury you hold up two divisions so I get that.
“But these are conversations we’re definitely going to have with the UFC.”
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