UFC 245: Israel Adesanya, Alex Volkanovski teaming up to fuel Australia’s bid for a UFC title
The man who stole Australia’s first UFC title has crossed over and is now helping win it back with a fighter being likened to boxing icon Gennady Golovkin.
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A few months back, Alexander Volkanovski found himself feeling increasingly awkward, even weird, when discussing close mate and training partner Israel Adesanya.
So for a short time, he stopped.
Or at least switched topics whenever anyone quizzed him on the outspoken New Zealand prodigy who, on NRL grand final day – and in front of 57,000 Australian fight fans – went and left hooked the UFC middleweight title from Sydneysider Rob Whittaker.
For most Aussie sports fans, this was the moment our first UFC gold strap disappeared.
But for the rising Wollongong featherweight?
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“In that fight, my heart was with Izzy,” Volkanovski concedes now, on the eve of his own title blockbuster at UFC 245 here in Las Vegas.
“Obviously I know Rob Whittaker well.
“And no Aussie fighter is ever going to wish bad for one of their own.
“But Izzy, mate, we train together, have barbecues together, we’re in the trenches together every single day.
“And when you’re as close to someone as I am with him, yeah, my heart was with Izzy.
“But as for being vocal about it? I wasn’t sure Aussie fight fans would like that.
“So before those guys fought, I was starting to get so nervous even talking about it, I began avoiding all conversations ... it was all so awkward and weird.
“And I know I shouldn’t have to feel like that. Which is why I eventually told people ‘Izzy, is my guy’.
“It’s not that I wanted bad for Rob, but I’ll always back my teammates — plain and simple.”
On the eve of his hyped UFC title fight with featherweight champ Max Holloway, Volkanovski has opened up to The Daily Telegraph about his close relationship new middleweight king Adesanya — the man who stole Australia’s first UFC title and is now, ironically, helping earn a second.
Indeed, for the past three weeks, these long-time training partners have been finalising preparations for the 31-year-old Shellharbour native at Adesanya’s Auckland gym, City Kickboxing.
Apart from regularly sparring and sweating through cardio sessions together, Adesanya has also been offering up what Volkanovski calls “a really high fight IQ” to help pick apart Holloway, the Hawaiian hero he faces at T-Mobile Arena on Saturday night (Sunday AEST).
So close are the pair, Adesanya has even flown into Las Vegas this week to be part of a small contingent comprising Team Volkanovski.
Asked about his relationship with the Aussie, Adesanya says: “I appreciate the way Alex has drawn a line in the sand and said ‘this is my side’.
“Because I know leading up to my fight (with Whittaker) it got so awkward for him, we were actually roasting him about it at training.
“But still, he drew that line in the sand.
“It was nothing against Rob. Nothing against Australia.
“Just as when Alex eventually fights (rising Nigerian featherweight) Sodiq Yusuff, I’m supporting him.
“Doesn’t matter that Sodiq is from the same country as me.
“Alex is the guy I work and bleed with every single day. He’s my teammate.
“And together, we’ve drawn that line in the sand and picked our side.”
THE BOXING ICON TRAIT VOLKANOVSKI OWNS
Adesanya has also likened Volkanovski to one of the world’s greatest boxers, saying: “Theway he makes opponents not want to come forward … it’s his gift”.
Speaking with The Daily Telegraph in Las Vegas, UFC middleweight champ Adesanya has likened the pressure provided by Volkanovskiin their regular sparring sessions to that of boxing superstar Gennady Golovkin.
The New Zealand superstar has also predicted the 31-year-old Shellharbour native, who is undefeated in all seven UFC appearances,will provide featherweight champ Max Holloway with his greatest test at UFC 245 this Saturday night (Sunday AEST).
Adesanya said Volkanovski would provide Holloway with similar challenges to those he faced at UFC 236 in April, when he wentup a division to challenge Dustin Poirier for the interim lightweight title – and lost.
Asked what he liked about Volkanovski, Adesanya said: “Definitely Alex’s ability to make each of his opponents go backwards — even me.
“Obviously I’m much bigger, but the way he cuts the ring off, his footwork, and his energy, Alex just forces you to want tomove back.
“The way he makes people not want to come forward … that’s his gift.
“It’s something Triple G (Golovkin) does really well too. He just makes guys not want to go forward against him.”
Adesanya added Volkanovski would provide Holloway with the same problems he encountered against Poirier at UFC 236, when theHawaiian suffered his first loss in four years and 13 outings.
He has since defended his featherweight title again against American favourite Frankie Edgar.
“The big reason I like this fight is that Max doesn’t like to move back,” Adesanya explained. “He does his best work movingforward, putting pressure on someone.
“But going backwards, he’s not always (so strong) as you saw when he fought Dustin Poirier.”
So as for how Holloway will react to that famed Volkanovski gift?
“Dunno,” Adesanya continued. “Max could be like ‘f... you, let’s go’, try to stand and brawl.
“But I can’t say because I’m not Max. Haven’t been in his camp.
“What I can say though is that I’m definitely looking forward to seeing how Max reacts to it because I know how I react toit.”