He said he would, and he did. Alex Volkanovski thrust himself into the UFC featherweight title frame with a second-round TKO victory over three-time contender Chad Mendes at UFC 232 in Los Angeles on Sunday.
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Volkanovski boldy called out Californian after his previous win over brawler Darren Elkins in June and he delivered on the biggest card of his career, stopping the NCAA All-American wrestler late in a wild round two.
The win will likely see him jump into the UFC's top five featherweight rankings and puts him on a collision course with current king Max Holloway.
It's a pitch Volkanovski, who fights out Windang's Freestyle Fighting Gym, made to analyst Joe Rogan in the octagon post-fight.
“I'm Max Holloway's worst nightmare,” Volkanovski said.
“I've got a lot of respect for Max Holloway, I really do. He's a gangster, I absolutely love what he does in there but, the fact he's such a gamer he'll stick to what I'm so good at [fighting] in the pocket.
“He hasn't fought a wrestler like me, Chad Mendes or Frankie Edgar. I'm one of the most dangerous guys in the division.
“I can go with the powerful guys, I can go with jiu jitsu guys, I can go with the stand-up guys. I'm the most well-rounded, I put it together better than anyone in the division.”
It extended his UFC winning streak to six, with the win over Mendes his 16th straight victory.
“I just want to shoot through these ranks, I've said it from the start,” he said.
“Even though [Mendes] is probably one of the toughest guys in the division, I knew this would get me in front and put me in the top five.
“I've finally done it. A lot of respect to him, he's only lost to the greats and now he's lost to another great, Alexander the Great.”
After a measured first round from both fighters, the second round turned into a all-out war, with Volkanovski hitting the canvas on a right hand from Mendes.
He found himself there again when he was twice taken down, though he quickly rose to his feet and fired back on all three occasions.
It proved too much for Mendes to handle, with Volkanovski overwhelming him with strikes and forcing the referee to intervene at 4.14 of round two.
“I wasn't hurt, it dropped me but I felt fine, I was clear headed,” Volkanovski said of the straight right.
“Something caught me in the eye, it might of been the punch. It was more just the blocked eye but I kept coming forward.”
It was a good night for the Aussies, with Megan Anderson earning a first-round TKO win over former bantamweight contender Cat Zingano in the prelims.
Mitch Jennings
Sports writer. Sport is my passion, rugby league my first love.
Sports writer. Sport is my passion, rugby league my first love.
