Alexander Volkanovski: Islam Makhachev Can’t Use No Khabib as Excuse - The MMA Hour

okay, since this is the card, you know what I mean, he's fought a lot of times, we could be in his corner and stuff like that, so I feel like, you know, I'm sure you know he'll feel that in the buildup and all that, but come on or maybe fight week and all that, but at the same time he's done it before and he's a great fighter. I'm going to show up and show up in the optimal anyway, even if it might be like that or not, so I'm preparing the same Islam that I've seen and, again, things go the way I plan them to go, yes, no.

Don't change that, don't start changing the narratives and start using all these

excuse

s, because, it's the guy in front of him, that's the problem. I know your belt isn't on the line here, but you were in New. York on the MSG card and you saw your good friend Israel lose the belt when you see that while you are preparing for your own big fight, do you take any lessons from that? Does it put you in a place where it's like I can't let this happen to me, do you internalize it anyway to where it affects you and your career or are you just thinking only about yourself?

You meet your friend and you gut him for him. Yes, that's what it is. And you know what I mean. At the end of the day, when I'm in the gym or in the octagon, you know I'm Alexander the Great, you know how to fight and all that, when I'm outside of that, you know it's just me. and you know I'm uh, that's a good friend of mine, you know these are good friends of mine and seeing that, you know it was just a, you know, obviously, it hurts, you know, when you see the fight that you're like you know, I'm thinking. that he's just moments away from raising his hand and closing a chapter line and then that's this crazy game we play so I just hurt him, um, but yeah, I guess that adds to the story for him.

I know he's coming back and that makes the next fight bigger, so I'm looking forward to seeing what happens there, but first I have to go do my thing and maybe I can make it. it's there so that wrestler can see it too and what about you on the Andrew Schultz show and I just come in and take care of that thing? I mean, that was an all-time appearance, where is this guy, oh yeah, doing something? pushups power just comes running in automated indian I mean, they were copying my style. I had to let them know who's who.

I had to let them know that I am the king of all this. Alright. I mean, you are. In New York you don't come to my show you go to that Jabroni show and I felt a certain way about it so I had to go toe to toe with you on that one yeah like I did by the way what's up with everyone giving ? I am very concerned about the fact that even on my own show I named you the male fighter of the year 2022, everyone said it was Alex Alex Alex and I said the two wins plus the best pound for pound go to Abu Dhabi weigh 55 checks. ego at the door you deserved it and I feel really good about it despite all the abuse I suffered, I'm right.

I'm sure you've been in the game long enough to know that you're going to get abused no matter who you picked yeah so if you picked Alex Pereira you'll probably have all my uh my family and friends and stuff coming at you , you know what I mean, that's how it is, you know, I mean, we can, you know. We can't, we can't be that bad, we're always going to upset someone. People get triggered very easily nowadays and even when you're not trying to be, you can't worry about it. true, but you would think you made a great decision, so I appreciate that.

I apreciate it. Thank you so much. One thing you've said is that you want to see some activity at 45. We're starting to see some activity right on your card. and Emmett and then we discover Arnold Allen and Max in the hallway. He was saying at the beginning of the show of the four people there who's the most impressive victory. year is a win over Emmett is a win over Arnold is a win over Max I would say it's still a win over Max and so how do you feel about the fact that Arnold wins, let's say he wins and he still doesn't get it? a title shot against you, do you think that's fair?

I think so, he definitely deserves a partner. It's just strange now with all the interim. I told you I'm not going to be very active, so yes, I need to wait longer. and he won't have to go and sit on the sidelines for a long time because I want to be active and you know, you know, I promise and that's exactly what I want to do, so, yeah, it doesn't matter what it is. is obviously the working title. I have to go and Faith face that person, but you know, it's how, you know, and I'm not in this, it's not an opportunity to attack Arnold, but I mean, it's not like you know that I.

I don't think he's going to have to wait much longer than usual between fights, so that's fine, but it'll definitely be worth it if you beat him, you beat Max, you know what I mean, like he doesn't deserve the title shot . So, that's going to be huge for him and it's something he could be good at when this happens and, you know, I think it'll be a great position for him because he would definitely be the number one contender. outside, obviously, the interim team, so what's your plan for this year? If everything goes well, fights in February, fights in the middle of the year and then one like Do you hope to get three this year?

Oh man, I'd love to get three. three um, Jeffrey, imagine being full, you know what I mean, yeah, you know, that would be great again. I mean, I'm not getting any younger, you know what I mean, so I want you to know, look, the thing is, uh, with light weight. You needed that little bit of extra time to bulk up and stuff like that, this was necessary or really necessary for Islam, so when I start fighting further than lightweight, I don't think I need to structure as much for the lightweight fight. After this, you know what I mean, obviously I have a big task ahead of me with Islam, so I'm not taking it correctly, so I'm going to do what I have to do, but you know, the lightweight fights from then on.

I don't think I need structure, this weight gain, this strength and all this kind of stuff, you know, I don't think I should worry too much about it, not having injections against other people. my strength has always been has never been a problem uh and things like that you know we wanted to move forward a little bit and things like that I don't feel like I need to do that too much uh with uh at lightweight uh from here so you I'm going to see that I can recover, especially for the Laraway fights right away, so I'm happy to do it, but the next one will be fine in February or later this month, the next one would be 45, right?

I promise, yeah, and then you'd decide, yeah, fourth back, fourth, of course, you know what I mean. I don't think the person holding the interim belt is going to want to wait too long, so I want to keep both divisions busy, I promise. and I'll do the best I can to make sure that happens, you know what I mean, I'm a man of my word, I always have been, and you know, I wouldn't be where I am without all that, that's just the type of person if that's why you see me uh being successful at what I do because I do what I do I have my goals I plan to do things I don't do them I don't talk you know I'm a man of My word and I walk to work so that's something that I will definitely do my best to do two last things for you and I appreciate the time as always.

When you visualize Destiny, what are you thinking? Are you thinking 25 minutes? Are you thinking before? What are you feeling now? I have to mentally prepare for 25 minutes. I always do it, no matter who Batman is. Obviously you say this all the time, but the thing is with someone like Islam, you know it. I have said this. I need to use my feet. You know what I mean? I need to make things happen. You know, you usually know you have to worry because the only chance for someone to win is a Pontius shot and you're trying. to take that away from them uh let's be real with Islam, he not only has a conscious chance of him fighting a bad fight, he could win a decision, he could win a submission, you know what I mean, there are more ways for someone to win. .

I like Islam, so we know where it wants to take it or I know where I need to capitalize, so you will see me very dangerous in the feed and actually when I say capitalize, you will see me very eager. to hurt his feet, so I really think I can finish, even though he is, I have a great fighter and nothing but respect for him, but uh, just where my head is right now and uh, I need to focus on which I need to do especially in certain positions and that's why I feel like I can definitely get the finish, but I mentioned prepared for 25 minutes of uh wall and by the way, I saw this video of yours recently, you're snorkeling and there are like sharks. around you, what's happening here is that's legit, are you really standing next to those sharks?

If so, first of all, you have a multi-million dollar career, you have these big fights, you have all this. What the hell are we showing the video right now? What are you doing? How is that possible and how do you not shit your pants being so close? I mean, they're not that bad, they're fine. uh that's just a place near where we live uh we just went down there. I was here with Brad Riddell and a couple of guys are training. Mates, you know, right after the tough morning session, just go there, swim and swim with the sharks, you know?

I'm in, beautiful view, they're pretty quiet, man, they're pretty quiet. Are you like in a cage or something? Are you literally right next to them? No, no, that's it, you see me, you see me, uh, turn the camera to show my face, if I look down, uh, that was it, yes, yes, we are all daughters. I just wanted to make sure I was friendly and approachable. I wanted people to be able to see the teeth and everything. I just wanted to let people know that they are legit. sharks, you know what I mean, so I went down with them, I had a good shot and that's what I ended up seeing and there's like six or seven of them around me, but I mean, they're just creepy, but I mean, well . content is good content is a little scary would you touch it could you touch it? the shark you're not allowed so they're in danger so I'll leave it like that okay and they could kill you they're those kind of sharks oh man aggressive latin sharks have that people have been attacked since uh so before I'm sure yeah, I'm sure so, I'm sure they can be dangerous, but I mean, they're usually pretty calm, so uh, they're good, you know, I mean people swim with them in Australia, that's Australia and I think we fight uh crazy we don't have alligators and we don't swim with sharks and um holding their poisonous snakes this is what we do so uh I like it while we're there you have kids swimming with these sharks there too your wife okay your wife she's fine with this yeah, she's fine wow, she's fine yeah, gee, Louise, well, I guess I wouldn't get If I, if I thought about the tears of attacking this fight on the coast, you wouldn't see me there , it could happen, yes, but I mean, jumping into cars, every day is much more dangerous than chance, okay. you are of a different race and that is why we love you I wish you the best Alex thank you very much for doing this good luck you can't wait for next Saturday about to make history obviously it happened with Connor 45 and 55 but as we know, you didn't defend them, you want to defend them .

I think that's part of the Legacy too, so go out there and do it right mate, good luck, can't wait to see it, thanks as always, okay, thanks. You see, like I said before, I don't have much time for that, but it's my time, we're going to make it all happen, come on, come on, we're going to be the male wrestler of the year 2022 and soon we'll beat 2023, there he's the big one. . Alex Fulkanovsky and God, if he does it, if he does it, if he wins on February 11th. I mean, can we just put him in stone as 2023 men's wrestler of the year back to back like Nikola Jokic?