The UFC’s checklist of double-champions is a really brief one however the world’s high pound-for-pound fighter, Alexander Volkanovski, is satisfied that he can have his title listed alongside the likes of Conor McGregor and Daniel Cormier in having two gold belts draped throughout his shoulders.
The Australian, 25-1 in his profession and unbeaten within the UFC, strikes to the 155-pound division on February 11 the place he’ll search so as to add the 155-pound strap to the featherweight title he already holds when he fights the UFC’s newly-crowned light-weight champion Islam Makhachev.
Not provided that Volkanovski taking over the distinctive fashion of Dagetani wrestling which has proved so tough to include within the Octagon to this point, he’s dealing with a legion of doubters who counsel that this can be a mountain he can’t climb.
However in keeping with Volkanovski, he wouldn’t have it some other method.
“No disrespect to them, however that’s why this combat is so huge to me,” he stated on Michael Bisping’s ‘Believe You Me‘ podcast, through MMA Fighting.
“It’s the Dagestani wrestling, nobody can determine this out, they’re on a roll and all that. Khabib’s there. Islam, what he’s been doing his previous couple of fights. All that. I used to be chasing the champ-champ, that’s what motivated me earlier than I knew who I used to be preventing. As quickly as Islam received and the individuals talked, one thing was identical to, bang, that’s all that I cared about is taking out Islam.
“It wasn’t even disrespect. All that stuff simply made this combat a lot larger. Me conducting this purpose — not solely the champ-champ, it’s clearly going to be unbelievable, having two belts — however not simply that. It’s, whereas doing that, taking out somebody like Islam.
“Particularly being a featherweight going to maneuver as much as light-weight, then preventing not solely any light-weight, you’re going to Dagestani-wrestling Islam who’s recognized to simply stroll and management and throw round all these lightweights. ‘How’s Alex going to cope with that?’
“This simply makes after I get my hand raised, it simply makes it a lot larger. In order that’s what’s motivating me proper now, the combat itself. It’s going to be additional particular getting each belts on them shoulders, however [also] who I’m taking out within the course of.
“However I used to be actually chasing him since you knock off your objectives, what’s subsequent, what’s subsequent, the champ-champ’s subsequent, however as quickly because it was Islam and other people telling me — I like individuals doubting me.
“Seeing individuals, like, ‘He’s going to be too huge, too sturdy,’ and all this. The problem, the opponent that I’ve bought, that excites me extra. Going for this champ-champ and taking out somebody like Islam is admittedly what individuals are going to recollect. Lots of people assume he’s unstoppable proper now, however I’m going to indicate you that he’s stoppable and I can’t wait to go on the market and do my factor.”