IF it’s a going away party then Illawarra MMA star Alex ‘The Hulk’ Volkanovski plans to leave with a bang at Friday’s Wollongong Wars.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Volkanovski will headline a stacked card at Anita’s Theatre, Thirroul and, with a UFC debut beckoning, the 26-year-old featherweight wrecking ball concedes it may well be the last time he fights in front of his legion of local fans.
“Obviously I’m hoping to be in the UFC and fighting on bigger promotions from here on in so it will probably be the last time I’ll fight in Wollongong,” Volkanovski said.
“I love fighting in front of the hometown crowd so it’ll be good to do this last one. People have always said they don’t get many chances to watch me live so it’s good to fight in front of everyone.
“I needed to keep busy the chance came up so we thought let’s do it it’s perfect timing. Hopefully we get a good crowd there and we put on a good show.”
Volkanovski (12-1) will come into his match-up with Gold Coast banger Jai ‘the tooth fairy’ Bradney on a nine-fight winning streak and without a loss since 2013.
He’s turned all the right heads in his last two fights – a fourth round submission victory over Yusuke Yachi for the PXC featherweight title and a stunning Mark Hunt-style walk-off KO of highly touted prospect Jamie Mullarkey to defend his AFC strap in March.
The performances have brought him global recognition and, after being a hair’s breadth away from a UFC debut in Brisbane earlier this year, Volkanovski confident of winning a slot on the promotions next Australian card in November.
“We’re talking with them, they’re aware of me and they’re basically waiting for the right opportunity to put me in really,” Volkanovski said.
“I believe I’m the most well-rounded fighter in Australia. I don’t believe there’s a better striker than me, a better grappler than me or a better wrestler. I know I’ve got all the tools and the world’s starting to take notice.”
Volkanovski will have to get past Bradney, over whom he boasts a submission victory in 2014, who’s sure to put everything on the line in what he’s already stated is his retirement bout.
“He’s said this is his world title fight,” Volkanovski said. “He’s given me a lot of props saying of all the guys he’s fought I’m the best and he wants his last fight to be against the best.
“He’s really the only one who wanted this fight.”
Volkanovski headlines a card stacked with local fighters including Orcun As, Matt Warne, Dan ‘Bad New$’ Bennett, Adam Bailey, Liam Cooney, Adam Ozkan, Josh Rochardson, Dave Fowler and Kyle Montgomery.