Alexander Volkanovski appeared to be in peak form at UFC 325. |
Getty/UFC
There was a point during Alexander
Volkanovski’s training camp for
UFC 325 where it looked like the featherweight champ wasn’t
going to make it to fight night.
That’s according to coach Joe Lopez, who revealed on Daniel
Cormier’s YouTube channel that Volkanovski injured his
shoulder about a month before facing Diego Lopes
this past Saturday at Qudos Bank Arena in Sydney, Australia.
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“To be fair, Alex, four weeks ago, we didn’t think he was going to
fight,” Lopez said. (transcription via MMAjunkie.com) “He pulled his shoulder out,
really. He’s been compromised for the last four weeks with a busted
shoulder.”
The Old Volk
While Volkanovski might not have been 100 percent, that didn’t
prevent the Aussie from securing a relatively clear-cut unanimous
decision triumph over Lopes in their rematch. “The Great” also
defeated Lopes via unanimous decision at UFC 314. The coach
revealed that despite the injury, Volkanovski was more confident as
they prepared to face Lopes for a second time.
“Volk was sort of second-guessing himself the whole of the first
Diego camp,” Lopez said. “With this camp, Volk was back to himself.
He was confident, didn’t have to say anything. He was just old Volk
back again. Maybe we can get another four out of him.”