Alexander Volkanovski is ready to prove himself again vs. Ilia Topuria at #UFC298 | UFC Fight Camp On UFC Fight Camp, Megan …
I’m now joined by UFC featherweight Champion Alex volkanovski he’ll be fighting Ilia Toria at UFC 298 we’ll get into that in a little bit but Alex I got to ask you about meeting Tom Brady NFL legend I seen you throwing the ball with him got to talk to him with afterwards as a competitor what was it like being able to get advice and kind of pick the brain of somebody like Tom yeah so I didn’t just uh meet him I was lucky enough cuz he was guest speaking at that function uh so I was able to go there and uh really listen to him talk about you know you know work work ethic and just what makes him tick you know Little Things To Be A Champion what what it takes to be a champion I I definitely seen some things that I could relate to uh in the way his mindset was in mentality uh which is obviously awesome to see so it was great meeting him uh and great uh listening to a legend sort of break down those types of things cuz uh you know what he’s accomplished is just incredible so uh you know you love to see those things things you love to hear about and you love to meet them guys too well you speak about mindset and you were very open and candid after your last fight about your mental health and kind of the issues that you face and you deal with what is the kind of process looked like coming into this next fight to make sure that you’re mentally in the right space to perform oh yeah look you know it’s just uh yeah obviously I was in a little vulnerable spot there you know what I mean so a lot of people are you know going to look into that a fair bit obviously I just got uh koed as well you know what I mean so people do need to to to remember that but uh at the same time it’s a you know that’s a part of the game you know but what I love about this whole thing uh you know everyone does get vulnerable but I mean the not every day people get to see the bounce back you know this is going to be live in front of the world to see my bounce back so you everyone’s seen sort of what happened last time now they get to see me go out there and uh you know teach this teach this Blok a lesson you know what I mean a bit of a humbling experience it’s going to be for him and I can’t wait to do that again this this is part of my story I can’t wait to really go out there and uh remind everyone of the the champion I I I’ve been for a while now and and still am and uh just can’t wait to go out there and show that so like for me I it was play on straight after that play on like all good obviously it’s stung losing isn’t easy um but as soon as I got the date we moved the date obviously a month later make sure you know we prepared properly and gave the the amount of rest gave the amount of easy need to training and then the amount of time uh good amount of time to obviously do the camp as well so we followed all the protocols did everything and you know feel great obviously training hard and fit in really good Nick and just can’t wait to go out there and uh you know prove prove myself once again well you definitely seem very focused ahead of this one and I mean you’ve been doing this for an incredibly long time I remember watching you win the rose Shambo featherweight tile back in like what 2013 2014 it’s been a minute so when you’ve kind of seemingly done it all you’ve multiple title defenses at the highest level of the sport what really do you attribute having such a laser focus and and continuing to have that motivation day in day out where you kind of are at your career I mean it’s a I think it’s a well I mean it’s who I am I think but not only that just you know where where I live my family like it all keeps me grounded I go out there win World titles you know getting a a ball thrown from Tom Brady or you know hanging out with Mark Zuckerberg and um you know and then I’m home and then I’m just dad you know what I mean I’m just Dad I’m the same guy I was 10 years ago I completely forget about all that type of stuff um and I get back in the gym I’m in the gym straight after my fights after I win a world title uh literally the next week um and that just keeps me you know I completely forget about all that and you know I got another job you know this guy’s the guy you’re fighting bang that’s that’s it like you know that’s just how I am um it’s easy for me to be laser focus because you know each each time I step in it’s a new job it’s a new job I need to do a new challenge um and you know I I love that you know I thrive in uh in in challenging myself and and you know being in these positions so um it’s always exciting for me um I’m disciplined I’m going to train all year round but uh when you get a a date locked in it’s so easy for me to be like all right Let’s do let’s do what we need to do even as a as a champion I feel like um my commitment to the sport I I swear it like doubled you know what I mean like if I go into the gym like I’m every minute I’m spending in there I’m like locking in techniques I’m trying to you know get into the really into the details of absolutely everything and absolutely love it I’m picking everyone’s brains the whole time you know going through positions probably boring them you know what I mean because that’s how much I’m passionate about this and how much I take this serious even though I’ve been in this game for a while and been Champion for a while it’s nothing changes you know I’m still as motivated as ever and disciplined as ever and uh passionate as ever well you talked about being a dad and and how do you kind of manage kind of putting on Champion hat and then taking that off and putting on the dad hat I know you’ve got a couple of beautiful daughters how does that kind of manage with training camp going away to fight you know how do you kind of figure that out and make sure that you’re still dad and there for them as well yeah so well that that’s it obviously you need to take recovery serious but at the same time you want to make sure you got a time with the family and you know it’s uh well that that’s that’s just how it is you know being in Camp uh I’m lucky enough where you know the I can bring everyone uh to me so I don’t need to travel for Camp uh the Gym’s pretty much around the corner um I’ll go in there do what I need to do go home whether it’s resting or hanging out with the f um you know and just being dad so it’s it’s it’s easy for me to not get distracted uh that’s why when I’m in Camp it’s easy when I’m not in Camp that’s when you know you want to you know try to be the best dad you can be but then you you know you’re going to have other obligations and you meant to be training but it’s harder to you know because you still want to be dad so but when you’re in Camp it’s it’s it’s very easy it’s simple you’re in the gym rting your ass and your dad you know what I mean that’s that so it’s uh uh which is good because right now that’s all I need to focus on it’s I need to focus on my career and my family and uh when I’m in Camp I get to do both and I get to do do it properly you know what I mean capitalize on my time uh right now especially in my career you know I’m in my primer who knows how long that’s going to last so let’s get to work you know what I mean so that’s why you see me be active and doing what I need to do well speaking of career UFC 298 is the next one you’ve got ilot Toria standing in front of you across that cage undefeated you know upand cominging Prospect and Challenger he’s kind of tried to take some Digs at you on social media con you’re old which I took offense to that as somebody who is also in the mid-30s by the way I don’t think 35 is very old but he also kind of want he he’s he’s wanting you to retire you know what are your thoughts on him saying stuff like that ahead of this fight do you think it’s all talk or you know does he truly believe what he’s saying I mean I don’t know like obviously I think he does believe a lot that he does say I think he’s a confident guy maybe some of the other stuff uh might be a bit of high you know just trying to Hype up the fight which is always fun it’s good it’s exciting for me uh cuz I just get to sit back and be like all right sweet all I need to do is go out there teach you a lesson humble you and uh that’s a perfect ending to that story you know what I mean so uh it is easy for me he’s he’s doing the right thing because he should be you know he’s got a given a good opportunity to fight for the title right now um hype it up do what you need to do say say what you need to be say what needs to be said if you think uh that’s what people want to see play the bad guy no worries I’m happy being the good guy and I’m happy uh teaching the lesson and humbling you and again this part of the story or my career you know or my story obviously after the last one uh the bounce back you know and having an undefeated uh Prospect inia who talks you know he’s young um yeah man you know he’s just you know he’s very very confident so uh you know he’s playing the part well so uh again it’s very he’s very fitting for for my story right now so I’m I’m stoked with it I’m glad he’s doing what he’s doing um I don’t know he’s trying to get in my head obviously that doesn’t happen but um yeah so I can’t wait to go out there and just uh do my thing it’s like I said it’s easy for me I train hard go out there and um and really put it on him you know I don’t think look my goal for this one isn’t just winning you I want to go out there I use I’m saying I want to embarrass this bloke you know what I mean it’s not that I’m trying to embarrass him but what I plan on doing going out there I want him to realize that there is levels I want him to be like oh wow you know I’m I’m no we near this level which is going to be very embarrassing after all the talk he’s been doing so you know the polite way of saying it I’m just going to teach him a lesson but he will be embarrassed he will be uh you know eating his own words he will he will literally have to go back to the drawing board and realize all right that’s a whole another level how do I get there so uh you know he’s going to thank me uh uh later when when he’s when he’s when everything’s said and done he’s going to thank me for for really humbling him and um if he ever wants to be a great champion or anything like that that obviously doesn’t start anytime soon but maybe after I do what I plan on doing maybe he learns a bit and then uh you know maybe he will bounce back from that and then he can thank me for it well Alex well we thank you for joining us good luck at UFC 298 we look forward to the performance thank you can’t wait looking forward [Music]