Alexander Volkanovski enters Saturday’s UFC 314 main event with a fresh perspective and a second chance at UFC gold. (Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports)
(USA TODAY Sports via Reuters Connect / Reuters)
The famed fight trainer Greg Jackson used to say that he had a steady pre-fight routine with Donald “Cowboy” Cerrone, one of his star pupils.
The way it would work is, they’d get into the locker room on fight night and Cerrone would all at once realize what a stupid thing it was to go out and fight another man in a cage for other people’s entertainment. How awful. How insane. He didn’t know why he’d ever thought this was a good idea, but he was done with it now. He’d do this last one only because he’d already agreed to it and there were a bunch of people out in that arena waiting to see him, but after this? Never again.
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OK, Jackson would tell him as they pulled on the gloves and began to warm up. Last one. Retirement starts tomorrow. Let’s go out and make this one count. That was what it took, was this shared fiction. Because as much as Cerrone wanted to fight, he also hated it.
And why wouldn’t he? It’s incredibly stressful. Almost anything can happen to you in that cage, from physical catastrophe to personal humiliation. He kept signing up to do it because a part of him simply couldn’t stand not doing it, but he also struggled to get himself to like any of it.
This is not an unfamiliar problem for many fighters. Even great ones, like former UFC featherweight champ Alexander Volkanovski, have had to learn how to enjoy the process as much as the result.
“It’s hard, and I feel like it’s just happened now,” Volkanovski told Uncrowned ahead of his fight for the 145-pound championship against Diego Lopes at Saturday’s UFC 314 event in Miami. “I’ve always been this guy to build up to the fight, win it, then kind of get emotional in the relief of being done, but not properly enjoy it as a human being. I’ve said this to myself [while] getting ready for this one, that I’m really looking forward to getting my hand raised and being Alex Volkanovski soaking up that moment, not just Alex the fighter, telling people what I think they want to hear.”
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It sometimes surprises people to learn that even professional tough guys aren’t necessarily all that excited to go get into a fist-fight on live television. Even someone like Nick Diaz, who seemed to many like a born fighter without an ounce of fear, once described himself as a “dark and dim person” during the period leading up to a scheduled fight.
“I just despise these people who are happy to go out there,” Diaz told ESPN in 2021. “… That’s fake. If it’s not fake, you must be crazy.”
Chael Sonnen grew up on wrestling mats and then spent almost his entire adult life in MMA. He logged nearly 50 professional fights, but never got to a point where he could enjoy it while he was still in it.
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“It makes me envious that people did get there,” Sonnen said. “My biggest regret is that I didn’t enjoy any of it. It was always so stressful.”
At the same time, many of the same fighters who struggled to enjoy the experience also struggled with its absence.
“You’re dying to get a fight, with your fingers crossed,” Sonnen said. “The second you get a call and you find out who the opponent’s going to be, then everything is different. Every breath you take is just different. Every bite of food. Everything is different when you have that actual person. And then you get through with them, whether you won or lost, you sit around wondering what’s next and you can’t wait to do it again, and then you get the opportunity and it’s the last thing you want while being the number one thing you want. It’s very strange.”
This is partly what Volkanovski was trying to get at following his knockout loss to Islam Makhachev at UFC 294 in 2023. He had a tendency to jump right back into training camp and go hunting for his next fight too soon, he said, because his mind tended to go to some “dark places” otherwise. It was a moment of rare vulnerability that, to some, made Volkanovski more relatably human. Others — especially some fellow fighters — criticized him as mentally weak.
After consecutive losses, Volkanovski took time to reflect and recharge. (Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports)
(USA TODAY Sports via Reuters Connect / Reuters)
“That was something where, if I wasn’t concussed, it probably wouldn’t have been my choice to share that with everybody,” Volkanovski said. “But it was emotional. It was a vulnerable time in my career. Even though I was champion, it was like I just didn’t understand it.”
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Part of the issue for Volkanovski was that he’d kept himself so frantically busy as champion that he never gave himself a chance to stop and reflect, much less enjoy the fruits of his labor.
At the conclusion of one fight, his eyes were already set on the next challenge. As time passed, he found himself losing touch with his identity beyond the realm of a fighter.
“It’s a delicate balance to strike,” Volkanovski reflected. “If you aspire to be the best globally, sacrifices must be made. Finding equilibrium in that can be challenging. Some individuals may achieve it, and kudos to them. Personally, I made the decision to devote all my time to this pursuit. There was no room for personal time. I accepted it because I believed that’s what it takes to become a champion. I’m grateful for being that person for so long, but I’m also relieved to have had a break. It has provided me with a deeper understanding.”
Now, at 36, Volkanovski has an opportunity to reclaim the 145-pound title he lost to Ilia Topuria in 2024. With Topuria transitioning to lightweight, Volkanovski is set to face the formidable contender Lopes for the vacant featherweight championship in the main event of UFC 314.
This chance at redemption has given him a fresh perspective, breathing new life into his title aspirations at a time when he finally feels more grounded amidst the chaos of his life.
“It’s a tough journey, and much of it revolves around the fighter’s identity,” Volkanovski mused. “You might feel purposeless if you’re not engaged in this sport. With time ticking away, the desire to make the most of it and savor the experience intensifies.”
One fighter who seems to have deciphered this enigma to some extent is Volkanovski’s longtime teammate from City Kickboxing, Dan Hooker. During his memorable showdown with Mateusz Gamrot at UFC 305 last summer, the corner cam captured Hooker confessing to his coaches between rounds that he “love[s] this s***,” as blood streamed down his face.
However, Hooker admitted that this joy in the heat of battle was not always within his reach. It took years of experience and enforced time off due to injuries for him to gain that perspective.
“When you’re young and headstrong, you tend to take everything for granted,” Hooker reflected. “Injuries or forced breaks from competition make you appreciate it more. You come to realize that there’s no other place where you can push your mind and body to the limits the way you can here. You work tirelessly to be in those moments, to experience that level of physical and mental exhaustion, and to feel those intense emotions.”
“I used to just focus on getting through the fight without enjoying it, only to realize that I felt empty afterward, just waiting for the next one,” Hooker continued. “You start to understand that the real essence lies in those moments, and you’re missing out by merely trying to get past them.”
Retired fighters often attest to this sentiment. Once it’s all said and done, they long for the adrenaline rush of entering a packed arena. The nerves and stress they felt at the time fade away, leaving behind cherished memories. The thrill of one-on-one combat, with everything at stake, is an unparalleled sensation. Some only come to appreciate it once it’s no longer within their grasp.
Perhaps due to nearing the twilight of his career, Volkanovski is determined not to overlook these moments any longer. He’s uncertain how many more opportunities he’ll have, and it took years of hardship and commitment to arrive at this juncture. He aims to relish every moment, savoring the experience while he can.
“This time around, I’m eager to step into the octagon, showcase my skills, and truly revel in the moment as a human being,” Volkanovski declared. “Having had the chance to rejuvenate and grow as an individual, I’m genuinely looking forward to this opportunity. I can’t wait to vie for the title, bask in the glory of victory, and relish the experience as myself, as a person.” following sentence:
The cat slept peacefully by the window while the rain poured outside.
While the rain poured outside, the cat slept peacefully by the window.