UFC 290: Fight week chaos after Alex Volkanovski training mishap

It wouldn’t be fight week without some drama for Alex Volkanovski. Not for the first time the Australian superstar’s lead-up to a huge fight has been less than ideal, writes BRENDAN BRADFORD.

Alex Volkanovski headlines UFC 290. Picture: Simon Bullard

Alex Volkanovski has suffered a cut on his cheek just days ahead of his featherweight title defence against Yair Rodriguez at UFC 290 in Las Vegas.

Volkanovski called the mishap a “little scratch,” which isn’t considered bad enough to put the bout in jeopardy.

Volkanovski picked it up during a training session in Las Vegas on Monday evening (US time).

On Tuesday, he had a small bandage on his right cheek, but played down the severity of the wound.

“Just a little scratch just there, it’s part of it. It’s all good,” Volkanovski said.

“I’m just covering it up now so people don’t carry on about it, and obviously I don’t want it to get infected.

“But it’s all good.”

Alex Volkanovski is raring to go at UFC 290. Picture: Simon Bullard

It wasn’t enough to consider pulling out of the blockbuster card.

“It’s a big week and a big card, and to be headlining a card like this is pretty incredible,” Volkanovski said. “Not only that, but there’s a lot of Aussies and New Zealanders, it’s pretty incredible.

“It just shows you our market right now. It shows you what we’re doing and the support we’re getting back home and the backing we’re getting.

“Half the card is Aussies and New Zealanders, it’s pretty incredible.”

The “scratch” isn’t ideal, but it’s nowhere near as bad as some of the other ailments and injuries he’s fought through, with the laidback Aussie making a habit out of disrupted training camps and fight weeks.

Australians Jack Della Maddalena, Dan Hooker, Alexander Volkanovski, Robert Whittaker, Shannon Ross and Jimmy Crute (L-R) will all fight in UFC 290. Picture: Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC

Ahead of his second fight in the UFC, after a hectic travel schedule, Volkanovski picked up a flu, then a staph infection.

His third fight, in Sydney in November 2017, almost didn’t happen at all after an opponent pulled out. Needing a quick fix on short notice, Volk’s team hatched a plan to have City Kickboxing fighter Shane Young step in for what turned out to be Young’s UFC debut.

Young had a few CKB fighters in his corner that day, with Volk’s mate and sometimes training partner Dan Hooker dishing out some mid-fight sledging.

“I had Dan Hooker going, ‘You’re boring, Volko, get up!’ and stuff like this,” he remembers.

He then fought through a serious back injury at UFC 221 in Perth in 2018. The bulging disc was so bad it had Volkanovski seriously contemplating retirement, before he finally got it fixed for good.

Alexander Volkanovski overcame a back injury at UFC 221. Picture: Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images

Just three days before his bout with Darren Elkins in July 2018, Volkanovski couldn’t get out of bed, and feared he’d have to pull out after badly injuring a rib while rolling with Brad Riddell.

“I could’ve sworn this thing was broken,” Volkanovski said at the time.

“I remember hearing something crack. I remember feeling like my rib was caving in, so it was painful.”

#pulloutgameweak for @alexvolkanovski
They don't make 'em like this anymore, most others woulda called in sick for work. He might be a featherweight but he ain't no feather 🐔 pic.twitter.com/1T5dVnxQxH

— Israel Adesanya (@stylebender) July 15, 2018

Unable to get a cortisone painkilling injection so close to the fight, Volkanovski battled through on adrenaline to score a unanimous decision win, which kick-started his run towards the featherweight title.

His UFC 232 showdown with Chad Mendes was perhaps the most disrupted, with the entire card being moved from Las Vegas to Los Angeles because the Nevada State Athletic Commission refused to grant headliner Jon Jones a license to fight.

More recently, he fought lightweight champion Islam Makhachev in Perth in February with a broken toe.