We are just hours away from witnessing the action-packed UFC 294 event, and the main card of the event is much more hyped up following the withdrawal of certain fighters. Alexander Volkanovski is all set to face Islam Makhachev in their rematch to vie for the lightweight title. However, the fighter had to undergo a drastic weight cut, which raises concerns about Volk’s well-being.
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In the realm of MMA, the art of weight-cutting stands as a pivotal yet treacherous undertaking. Many athletes found it to be a daunting challenge to shed excess pounds, even when afforded the luxury of several months of preparation. Yet, Alexander Volkanovski broke all the norms by cutting a significant amount of weight to fight Makhachev. This risky move was taken up for discussion in a recent episode of EssentiallySports exclusive ES Fancast.
Conor McGregor’s camp worried about Alexander Volkanovski’s weight cut
According to various sources, it is estimated that Alex Volkanovski cut more than 20 pounds of weight over just 11 days to prepare for his upcoming match against Islam Makhachev. It seems that Volkanovski’s previous defeat against Makhachev has left a lasting impact on him.
Alexander Volkanovski is preparing for another opportunity to vie for the coveted lightweight championship, and if he can clinch victory, he’ll undeniably attain the pinnacle as the supreme featherweight champion. Nevertheless, in his unwavering resolve to avenge his prior defeat against Islam Makhachev, ‘Volk’ has subjected himself to a swift and arduous reduction in weight within a mere span of days.
Recently Conor McGregor’s nutritionist Tristin Kennedy sat with our host Noah Lack on EssentiallySports exclusive “ES Fancast”. While in conversation about McGregor and him not missing weight in his entire career, Lack inquired about Volkanovski’s drastic weight cut and asked Tristin’s opinion as a nutritionist.
Kennedy praised Volkanovski for his resolute commitment but added that the drastic weight cut was dangerous. He said, “Weight cutting is a very, very dangerous element of the sport. I think it’s becoming more prevalent. It’s hard, and you really need to explain to people the dangers of weight cutting if it’s not done right, you know? And Alex Volk, I know he cut a lot of weight. When I see that, I kind of go, “I know he is a practitioner. I know he is a practitioner.” I don’t know very well, but he is a good practitioner.”. The McGregor camp seems to be worried about ‘Volk’s condition despite hurling praises about his commitment.
Alexander Volkanovski was too heavy
‘Volk’ himself claimed that he was too heavy for the event and had to cut the excessive weight in a hurry. While having a conversation on his YouTube channel he said that he was “Pretty heavy,”
He further added “I knew that was water, though. I’d get rid of that straight away, which was true because on Tuesday, when I got the phone call, [my manager] Ash rings me up, asked me about my weight. I sort of laughed at the start, thinking, ‘Ooh… just yesterday I was 82.’ But I was already 79 [kilos]. So it just shows you how much I bloat. Literally, just from dieting a bit and training a few times, I was at 79 [kilos]. Literally on Wednesday morning, was… 78 [kilos] or something like that. Thursday, last couple of days, 77 [kilos]. I’m even 76 [kilos] today.”
With the fateful fight just hours away from materializing, the anticipation and exhilaration are already at their peak. Who do you think will emerge victorious in their matchup? Tell us about your opinion in the comments below and keep an eye on EssentiallySports exclusive ES Fancast.
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Yeswanth Praveen