The Champion Fought Through More Than Just His Opponent! It turns out Alexander Volkanovski's victory at UFC 325 was even more impressive than we thought, as his coach has revealed a severe injury nearly forced him to withdraw from the highly anticipated bout.
Joe Lopez, Volkanovski's head coach, shared some eye-opening details about the featherweight champion's physical state leading up to the fight. He stated that Volkanovski was far from 100%, battling a significant shoulder injury that had been bothering him for the past four weeks. Lopez even admitted, "To be fair, Alex, four weeks ago, we didn't think he was going to fight." He elaborated that Volkanovski had essentially "pulled his shoulder out, really", meaning he was significantly compromised throughout his training camp and right up to fight night.
This revelation adds another layer to Volkanovski's incredible resilience. He went on to defeat Diego Lopes for the second time, successfully defending his featherweight title in the main event at Sydney's Qudos Bank Arena. This marks 28 wins and 4 losses for Volkanovski in his MMA career, with 15 wins and 3 losses in the UFC.
But here's where it gets interesting: Lopez also contrasted Volkanovski's mindset during this training camp with his previous one. He mentioned that during the lead-up to the first fight with Lopes, Volkanovski was "second-guessing himself the whole of the first Diego camp." However, for this rematch, the dynamic was completely different. "Volk was back to himself. He was confident, didn't have to say anything. He was just old Volk back again," Lopez observed, expressing optimism for future performances, "Maybe we can get another four out of him."
And this is the part most people miss: While the focus is always on the fighter's performance in the cage, the unseen battles in training camps are often just as crucial. Volkanovski's ability to overcome a debilitating injury and still deliver a championship-caliber performance speaks volumes about his mental fortitude and dedication. Is this level of determination what truly separates the great champions from the good ones?
What are your thoughts? Do you believe an athlete's ability to fight through serious injuries should be a greater factor in how we assess their legacy? Let us know in the comments below – we'd love to hear your take!
