Alexander Volkanovski’s reign at the top of the pound-for-pound rankings took a brutal hit at UFC 294, as Islam Makhachev silenced ‘The Great’ with a first-round knockout. However, in a surprising revelation, Volkanovski attributed the loss not just to Makhachev’s skills but to a shocking lapse in his own discipline.
In an interview on the Freestylebender YouTube channel, the featherweight champ, known for his dedication and meticulous training, admitted to indulging in daily alcohol consumption for weeks leading up to the highly anticipated rematch.
Speaking to host David Adesanya, Alexander Volkanovski said:
“I’m known for being disciplined, professional all year round, twenty four, seven. And I just wasn’t that time. So I was really disappointed and I was more upset with who I was than previous months leading into that. And to be honest, it made it a little bit easier because it snapped me out of it.
‘The Great’ added:
You know what I mean? It snapped me out like I was drinking every day of, for three, four weeks. Honestly, I don’t even know if I’ve got that. That’s unheard of for me every day. I’ve never ever done that. But I was just.”