UFC featherweight champion Alexander Volkanovski responds to star’s sledge ahead of Max Holloway rematch

Australian UFC star Alex Volkanovski is threatening to unleash hell as he prepares to defend his status as the featherweight king.

Alex Volkanovski is ready to rumble.

American superstar Henry Cejudo boasts one heck of a resume in the UFC.

After simultaneously defending bantamweight and flyweight titles, the 33-year-old retired immediately following his victory over Dominick Cruz at UFC 249 in May.

But last week, the former champion revealed there was one opponent who would spur him to come out of retirement.

“I’m satisfied with my career. There would only be one fight that would really bring me back — that would really wake me up in the morning … It would be Alexander Volkanovski,” Cejudo told TMZ.

“That overgrown midget. I would love to make him bend the knee. He’s already halfway there.”

Australian fighter Alexander Volkanovski is undefeated in the UFC, winning eight consecutive bouts to become the undisputed featherweight champion.

Volkanovski wasn’t fazed by the unwarranted “overgrown midget” sledge, and is more than happy to face Cejudo in the Octagon if the opportunity arises.

“He’s chasing divisions, he’s avoiding contenders. I’m not for that. I think that’s silly,” Volkanovski told news.com.au.

“But now he’s vacated his belts and he thinks he’s interested in the featherweight title, so now he’s a featherweight fighter. I look at him as a contender.

“He’s done some great things. He does probably deserve to shoot through the ranks a fair bit. He has done some good things, I’ll give him that respect. But we’re a whole different beast over here.

“If he does want it … and the UFC bring it to me, I’d be happy to let him know this division ain’t for him, and he can get back into retirement.”

Despite the war of words with Cejudo, Volkanovski’s focus is primarily set on his rematch with former featherweight champion Max Holloway after the Hawaiian fighter lost his belt to Volkanovski at UFC 245 in Las Vegas via unanimous decision.

Despite the convincing victory last December, questions lingered about whether Volkanovski deserved the title of world champion, which the Wollongong resident conceded has been his key motivation during the coronavirus lockdown.

“That’s been on my mind. It’s pretty disrespectful, so I feel disrespected, p***ed off,” Volkanovski said.

“It’s just adding fuel — this is why I need to have this rematch.

“People forget that I dominated him for five rounds. Five rounds to nil. Yeah, it was still competitive, but you could see I shut him out. I did my thing for five rounds and I won.

“I’ve got something to prove, so I’m going to go out there and prove that I’m the best fighter in the world.”

Volkanovski is confident of taming Max Holloway again.

‘I’M A WHOLE DIFFERENT BEAST’

The highly-anticipated rematch is taking place at UFC’s Fight Island in Abu Dhabi on July 12. The UFC 251 main card features several blockbusters, including three title fights. Welterweight champion Kamara Usman will defend his belt against Gilbert Burns, while Petr Yan will take on Jose Aldo for the bantamweight title.

The first Australian-born UFC world champion is adamant he’ll muster a KO victory against his main rival next month.

“I am putting him away. I’m putting him away inside the five, and that’s definitely my goal,” Volkanovski said.

“Having that on Fight Island, that Mortal Kombat s*** … it just adds a whole other aspect. This sport’s crazy enough as it is, but now to have all of this happening, it’s crazy.

“The world’s gonna be watching, and I can’t wait for the world to hear my hands fly, hear those connections echoing through their screens.

“I can’t wait to show the world what I’m made of. I can beat anyone, anywhere, any way … I know I’m better than him. Now, I’m going to prove he can be knocked out.

“A lot of people say he can’t be knocked out. He’s got a good chin, yes he does, he’s durable. But I’m going to show everyone I’m a whole different beast.

“I’m going to get that respect on my name, and to do that, I have to knock him out.

“I’m finishing him inside the five, 100 per cent.”

VIEWERS TO HEAR PLENTY OF PAIN

Crowds have understandably not been permitted to attend UFC events since the coronavirus outbreak, which Volkanovski believes has heightened the experience for broadcast viewers.

“You’d be surprised how quiet it is in the Octagon, even with a crowd. Sometimes it gets pretty quiet in there. There’s a lot we hear that people on TV won’t,” Volkanovski said.

“Everybody obviously wants to fight in front of a crowd — it brings energy and everyone loves it. But while there’s no crowds, it’s good for the people watching.

“They get to hear what it sounds like to get punched in the face, to get kicked in the leg, even just to get slammed in the ground, hearing people gasping for air, and hearing the coaches talking to their fighters and seeing the fighters reacting, hearing the fighters talk to each other.

“It’s something we don’t get to see from behind a screen, but now you get all that.”

Volkanovski wants there to be no doubt who the best featherweight in the world is.

PAY WAR THE TALK OF THE TOWN

Two popular fighters recently addressed the UFC’s revenue share, arguing they are drastically underpaid when compared to other sporting codes.

During an interview on ESPN’s SportsCenter, welterweight star Jorge Masvidal questioned why fighters only receive an 18-20 per cent revenue share while athletes from other sports are allocated a substantially larger cut.

“It’s not that I’m asking for more money, it’s that I’m asking for a bigger revenue share of what we bring in,” Masvidal said.

“I’ve got a lot of questions, and one of them is NBA, NHL, baseball, they make, I think, 50 per cent with the players of what the organisation brings in.

“Football, I think it’s 47 per cent. Mine is like 18 per cent. So I have these questions in my mind: Is it to put the cage up that costs so much? The set up? What is it so much?”

Meanwhile, UFC light heavyweight champion Jon Jones announced he was taking a hiatus from fighting until he received a salary increase.

There is also growing speculation a fighters’ union will be formed if these issues are not resolved, but Volkanovski sympathises with the duo.

“These are challenging time, and these are unsure times as well,” Volkanovski said.

“They’re in a position where they can stand their ground, so I have to say, ‘Good on them’.

“At the end of the day, who doesn’t want more money? You can get the richest sportsmen in the world, they could always do with more money. That’s just how it works, it is business. Who am I to judge them?

“Who knows, in a couple of fights, I might feel like I’m in that position too. You never know.”