In May 2021, UFC released its first-ever 5-stage return-to-sport concussion protocol for fighters that states, “There are various types of concussions that athletes can experience, and treatment should be individualized depending on symptoms that they are experiencing with a thorough evaluation and the proper classification of the concussion type, the fighter’s management and rehabilitation can be much improved.” These stages include:

• First stage: Up to two days of rest;
• Two stages of no-contact workouts: After a SCAT5 assessment, the athletes can take up aerobic and strength exercises technique drills;
• Moderate contact workouts: MMA drills with “little risk of any head contact,” such as grappling positional routines;
• The final stage: Includes a return to live sparring. The UFC PI recommends starting with one sparring session per week with no more than three rounds of five minutes. Then “progressively add rounds over the course of four weeks until you reach two full sparring sessions of five rounds in each session.” 
• Returning to full contact requires clearance by a physician.

At UFC 284, Islam Makhachev already set it in stone who the lightweight champ was. Still, in October 2023’s UFC 294 promotion, Alexander Volkanovski returned to reset the rivalry. But the Russian did not spare the now 36-year-old. Keeping Volkanovski on his back foot throughout the first round, Makhachev landed a brutal head kick then landed punches for a KO. While the loss got worse with some head injuries, The Great was back just three months in. Again, in UFC 298, Ilia Topuria defeated him in a second-round KO. Now, Volkanovski confessed his mistake in a recent interview with Demetrious Johnson and the fans all agree.

Home of Fight shared the interview clip on X where the Aussie champion stated, “I feel like had more of a concussion from the Islam one, even though I was knocked out longer with Ilia, like I had a lot more of the symptoms and that, with the Islam one. I probably should have…”

Johnson intercepted, “I think the protocol’s 90 days no contact whatsoever.” Volkanovski replied, “So, I didn’t have like head contact, but when you’re easing into it now you’re easing into it making sure you’re not getting hit, trying to put yourself in safer positions, you even start camp wrong. I should have had the break.”

It wasn’t just hindsight. Fans and experts alike voiced their concerns before that fight ever took place. Many feared the quick turnaround would haunt Volkanovski and it did. Even the UFC Performance Institute’s concussion guidelines recommend a slow, multi-week return to full-contact sparring, something the Australian legend admitted he didn’t quite follow, even if head contact was minimized.

What makes this more painful for fans is knowing Alexander Volkanovski rebounded strong. After the loss to ‘El Matador’ in February 2024, he didn’t step into the cage again till April 2025. At UFC 314, he showed what made him a force at featherweight as he won a 5-round decision over Diego Lopes and won the vacant 145 lbs crown. But the lingering “what if” continues to hang over that fateful night in Anaheim at UFC 298 for the netizens.

Fans agree with Alexander Volkanovski as ‘The Great’ confesses returning too soon against Ilia Topuria

Leading into UFC 298, the MMA community buzzed with concern over Alexander Volkanovksi’s seemingly rushed return. The knockout against Islam Makhachev was violent, and the warning signs were clear as in the fight against Topuria, the Australian looked tentative on the feet before being blasted by ‘El Matador’. Many now feel their fears were validated. One fan now wrote, “Even the fans were saying it was too soon.” This wasn’t a secret.

Another commented, “We did not need to see that.” It wasn’t just a loss, it was a terrifying knockout in the second round. Seeing a beloved champion crumble twice in a row was painful and the reaction reflects the emotional weight fans carried watching a legend go down when he may not have been fully ready.

One fan posted, “We all said this before that fight. That Islam KO was rough, not something you can recover from quickly.” Highlighting the lasting impact of Makhachev’s head kick. ‘The Great’ wasn’t just stepping into the cage against Topuria, he was dragging trauma from his last fight with him. Recovery, especially from concussions, isn’t about toughness it’s about timing.

However, another follower added, “No version of Volk survives the punch. Cope doesn’t change that.” While some blame the rushed timeline, others argue that Topuria’s timing and power would have caught Volkanovski regardless. Understanbly, it’s a harsh take. Still, it’s grounded in the belief that the outcome wasn’t about the prep, it was about the opponent. And with what happened to Charles Oliviera at UFC 317, maybe it was just inevitable.

Someone else remarked, “He should regret taking the 2nd Islam fight more than this.” Some fans believe the real mistake wasn’t Topuria—it was stepping in on 10 days’ notice to fight Islam a second time. That head kick, they argue, set the entire spiral in motion.

In the end, Alexander Volkanovski’s brutal run from UFC 294 to UFC 298 feels like a cautionary tale. It’s not about toughness — he’s proven that a dozen times over. It’s about timing, recovery, and knowing when to hit pause.

While some fans point to Ilia Topuria‘s power as the inevitable factor, most agree the real damage may have already been done against Islam Makhachev. The quick turnaround raised alarms then, and ‘The Great’s own admission has only confirmed what many feared. He’s bounced back as champions do, but the echoes of Anaheim still linger, and so does the question: what if he’d just taken the break? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!