UFC featherweight champion Alexander Volkanovski admitted that he consumed alcohol every day before he received an offer to replace Charles Oliveira in a rematch with Islam Makhachev for the lightweight championship belt.
I'm known for being disciplined all year round, 24/7 and I just wasn't that time. I was drinking every day for like three or four weeks. I've never, ever done that. But I was like, 'Ah, I'm not training much,' and the surgery and I was like, 'All right, I'll have a couple of drinks here, they'll go down good.' Losing is always going to suck, but you lose to a fighter like Islam, it's OK.
The first fight between Makhachev and Volkanovski, which took place in February 2023 at UFC 284, ended in a unanimous decision for the Russian fighter. In October of the same year, Makhachev won by first-round knockout in a rematch at UFC 294.
Volkanovski will fight Ilia Topuria on February 17 at UFC 298 in Anaheim, USA.
Volkanovski, 35, last fought against Islam Makhachev in October 2023 at UFC 294. In that confrontation, Alexander suffered a first-round knockout defeat. He has 26 wins and three losses on his record.
Topuria, 26, last stepped into the octagon against Josh Emmett in June 2023 at UFC on ABC 5. That fight went the full distance and ended in Ilia's favor by unanimous decision. He has 14 wins and no losses on his record.
