Yeah.

And, uh, you know what I mean? And, and it's, and it's, and it's noticeable, you know what I mean? Like it's a, so I don't know if it's because people know these people cause they might, there's, they might like, uh, the media might throw a lot of these other guys in their faces a lot more cause they're on TV a lot more and all that sort of stuff.

Um, So they might – they would know these people, but, I mean, like the people that will come up and interact with me is like a lot.

Yeah.

You know what I mean? Yeah.

There's probably a few reasons for that, probably because – You know, probably they can see that I'm approachable and, you know, they're, again, more of a loyal fan.

We're like, no, I like Alex.

How do you feel about that?

You were calling, you became his biggest advocate of lawyer 20 and Oh, 10 and Oh, in the UFC, uh, Most people don't want to fight him, but you were calling for him to earn that type of opportunity.

What went into that? I just, you know, I'm a pretty easy champ to understand.

It's just, if you deserve it and you're the guy, that's who I want to fight.

You know what I mean? And it's a responsibility.

I've said this before.

Like, as a champion, I feel it's a responsibility to fight the best.

At the end of the day... know there is a ranking system and you know the you know it's always been the best part the best i know things are starting to change and there's a lot more entertainment i get that but i still want to hold at its core yeah i mean so i'm still i still understand that it's entertainment that's why you know i fought lopez we even did the rematch all right i understand you're gonna see me still do that but But I'm always going to try and bring it back and try and make sure that I'm fighting the best and the guys that deserve it.

Do you think that you could take from those experiences and apply them to this fight that you have this weekend?

Most people don't want to fight him, but you were calling for him to earn that type of opportunity.

What went into that? It's just, you know, a pretty easy champ to understand.

It's just, if you deserve it and you're the guy, that's who I want to fight.

You know what I mean? And it's a responsibility.

I've said this before.

Like, as a champion, I feel it's a responsibility to fight the best.

At the end of the day...

Do you think that you could take from those experiences and apply them to this fight that you have this weekend?

You were calling, you became his biggest advocate of lawyer 20 and Oh, 10 and Oh, in the UFC, uh, Most people don't want to fight him, but you were calling for him to earn that type of opportunity.

What went into that? I just, you know, I'm a pretty easy champ to understand.

It's just, if you deserve it and you're the guy, that's who I want to fight.

You know what I mean? And it's a responsibility.

I've said this before.

Like, as a champion, I feel it's a responsibility to fight the best.

At the end of the day... know there is a ranking system and you know the you know it's always been the best part the best i know things are starting to change and there's a lot more entertainment i get that but i still want to hold at its core yeah i mean so i'm still i still understand that it's entertainment that's why you know i fought lopez we even did the rematch all right i understand you're gonna see me still do that but But I'm always going to try and bring it back and try and make sure that I'm fighting the best and the guys that deserve it.

Do you think that you could take from those experiences and apply them to this fight that you have this weekend?

What was it like transitioning behind the big screen? Because that can be a lot different.

Yeah, you're right.

It is different, but at the same time, When you're, I guess, so used to just trying to keep yourself composed and it probably, it's never going to be as extreme as in front of, you know, thousands of people or millions through the screens and you're about to fight someone, you know what I mean? You've got to keep yourself so level-headed.

You learn to be much better keeping yourself composed.

So, you know, camera, even though it is unfamiliar territory, I'm usually pretty good at just settling myself and making it quite comfortable.

So I was actually quite... surprised how comfortable i felt um and yeah i think i got my career to thank for that just i guess it doesn't get much more extreme extreme than fighting in front of millions of people so that definitely helps

You're going to finish him.

That's what I truly do believe that.

[rock music] Who the fuck is that guy? [audience cheering]

Yep.

Then we were expecting the time, and then that just wouldn't happen.

That got pushed back, pushed back.

We're like, "When?" So that was a, it was never meant to be that long, but that's obviously scheduling and they need to make it work with the UFC and, and whatnot.

Um, but, and then this was pretty much the same again.

Like, uh, again, we needed a bit of a time, uh, to recover.

Um, and then we were ready at certain dates, and then that just kept getting pushed back, pushed back, and now we're here.

Are you used to it?

Yeah.

Well, I guess you, yeah, I am.

I am used to it.

It's, uh, never easy.

It's always hard, but I'm not, I'm not afraid of, uh, anything hard.

But yeah, it's not easy.

[laughs]

He was low, climbed the body and then bop, almost immediately.

The thing is...

It's crazy, right? Because there's so much we could work, you can work on.

And we did like the normal takedown defense and all that.

But for you to go through the layers and layers and layers of things, like I would have loved to have a few more camps before an Armand.

But how quickly Rufy was getting better with the takedown defense, I was...

When I heard about the short notice fight with him, I'm like, you know, I'd rather a few more camps.

And

Yeah

...

I was, yeah, a bit vocal about it and I'm talking, you know, "Please keep me busy," you know.

I don't do well when I'm not fighting.

And, uh, you know, so a lot of people were, "Oh, wow, this is a, a big problem." And you could say it could've been a big problem, but it was a bit of a learning lesson.

I end up fighting three months later after a big knockout.

Probably shouldn't have done that.

More nuances

What happened there, man? How did you get that crocodile? What happened there?

I was lucky enough.

We had a couple of lads that I did the collab with.

They brang it down.

So, yeah, it was crocodile.

Literally crocodile on the rotisserie.

Well, not on the rotisserie.

How are you feeling in camp? How's the training going?

When it's all said and done, are you all friends? Well, you

know, you're going to see a bit of bad blood.

A lot of the times...

Some of that is real.

A lot of times people are just playing the game.

Yeah.

So I feel like even when there is bad blood, they usually squash it after they compete.

Do you ever worry about the long-term implications of the sport?

Well, they never got to see it.

Yeah.

Well, that's it.

Well, it's actually something I've always wanted to do.

I've always wanted to... 'Cause I lo- you know, I love out watching, uh, sports over there.

Like, I've-- but I've never done the tailgating when I was over there, so I'm like, "That's something I need to do." And I was even thinking this would be great if they could bring it, uh, here in Australia.

But yeah, I don't know.

How is, how is the prep? Can I ask how the prep's going for your next fight? When's that, Oct- uh, late October, you've got a fight coming up, a big one?

When you see, you know, it's c- uh, father time undefeated, but when you see these fighters who, you know, clearly aren't who they once were, once they reach, you know, a little bit, you know, closer to 40, high 30s, things like that, do you start thinking about your own career or do, do you not compare yourself at all?

No, I don't, I don't, I don't compare myself.

Like, uh, look, everyone's gonna knock, uh, Chandler and just say, "Oh, you know, he's getting older," and whatnot, but no, no, you look at his facing.

He's facing-- He's always facing top guys.

He has his whole career, as soon as he come to UFC, it was all the top guys.

And he still is, uh, doing that.

You know, he's a, you know, he's not gonna be the exact same fighter as he was five, six years ago, but, um, he's still obviously very fit, still explosive enough a- and whatnot, but just when you're fighting the, some of the best guys in the division, it's, it's gonna be tough every single time.

What about Ilia? In your opinion, what went wrong for Ilia? Why, why, why was that not the same guy, the sa- Was it, was it all something that Justin did? Was it something that he didn't do? What was your take on how that fight played out?

Yeah

...

the way I was going.

I was going nuts.

Um, so that was, uh I was more, yeah, hyped up about that, but feeling bad at the same time, like.

'Cause I, I knew that going in, like that's- Stylistically ...

I'm just like, man, like at the White House.

Yeah.

You just don't stop, don't you, bro?

Oh, mate, look, I mean, I'm glad to be a part of the event.

But not only that, but in Rufus Corn, obviously, he's a really good dude.

We spent a lot of time in our last camp together.

He obviously killed it in that fight.

And then, yes, and now I'm a part of this camp.

Perfect time and where it is.

I

You just don't stop, don't you, bro?

Oh, mate, look, I mean, I'm glad to be a part of the event, but not only that, but Rufus Corn obviously is a really good dude.

We spent a lot of time in our last camp together.

He obviously killed it in that fight, and then, yes, and now I'm a part of this camp.

Perfect time and where it is.

Obviously a bit of travelling lately, but, yeah, sometimes these things need to be done.

It feels like you're just constantly away, man.

It does seem like that way.

What's going on down there at Cockatoo Island this morning?

Mate, it's pretty big over here, man.

I'm looking at a 40-meter, like an Aloisi Statue of Liberty.

John Aloisi.

What? John Aloisi.

Hey? John Aloisi, our famous

Are we going to stay over a little bit longer for the World Cup? Are we going to go to a game?

Well, you know I like to be a late fill-in, right? They've asked me today, Volk, we need a keeper.

What makes a great martial arts fighter, Volk?

Um, I mean, uh, I, I guess when it comes to actual martial arts, it's, uh, obviously always be willing to w- uh, learn, hard work.

I mean, there's no real s- secret, man.

Like in anything, to be successful in anything really, mate, just, uh, just do what pretty much, uh, no one else really wants to do.

You know? Always do that little bit more and I can guarantee, uh, success.

But, uh, the most important part for, for me, I think, uh, and why, something I'm most proud of, you know, obviously I'm a champion and whatnot, but, uh, I think it's just I've been able to be myself through the whole process, and that's why I feel like the, the love is where it's at and, uh, I'm so glad I, I chose that path, you know? 'Cause there's, there's so many other paths you see people taking, the blueprints of talking trash and, you know, doing all that sort of stuff.

For me, that's never been what I've been about and it might've been a slower process through it, but now, uh, now it's just, you know, the, the position I'm in because of who I, who I've been through that process, it's just means so much.

What's it look like?

What makes a great martial arts fighter, Volk?

Um, I mean, uh, I, I guess when it comes to actual martial arts, it's, uh, obviously always be willing to w- uh, learn, hard work.

I mean, there's no real s- secret, man.

Like in anything, to be successful in anything really, mate, just, uh, just do what pretty much, uh, no one else really wants to do.

You know, always do that little bit more and I can guarantee, uh, success.

But, uh, the most important part for, for me, I think, uh, and why, something I'm most proud of, you know, obviously I'm a champion and whatnot, but, uh, I think it's just I've been able to be myself through the whole process and that's why I feel like the, the love is where it's at and, uh, I'm so glad I, I chose that path, you know, 'cause there's, there's so many other paths you see people taking, the blueprints of talking trash and, you know, doing all that sort of stuff.

For me, that's never been what I've been about and it might've been a slower process through it, but now, uh, now it's just, you know, the, the position I'm in because of who I, who I've been through that process, it's just means so much.

What's it look like?

And then he went southpaw, and I'm like, you're giving him what he needs because now you're not lighting up anymore.

Talk to me about that.

Yeah, so obviously during camp, we were thinking surely his team were going to be like, all right, we need to learn to cut off.

We're going to cut him off going this way.

He has to at least do that, right? But I was even saying leading up, I don't know, even just cutting off some people, yeah, I'll cut him off, but some people can do it wrong.

If he cuts off too close, I can just run him into big shots.

Let's see what he does anyway.

where it should be, I guess you could say, of how long the sport's been around.

Were you always pretty handy at defending yourself, if we can put it that way?

Yeah, man, it's weird.

Like, for me...

Yeah, I was always smaller, but I didn't look at myself as the small guy on the field.

I was like, you know, you get the year about chihuahuas thinking they're 10 foot tall and stuff like that.

It must have been how I always was because I didn't even, like literally in my head, I wasn't that small.

I know everyone, you know, now I look back and it's like everyone's always probably doubted me from childhood.

I

You did a lot of great things in there to really stop him from from being as reckless as he was was that was that surprising to you or was that the expectation knowing that you were going to fight the way that you fought

well that was sort of the expectation like uh you know again this is this is what's fun like is he going to make the right adjustments now i was able to do that like a lot of people are going to be like oh he's got to let his hands go at first you know as you said you watch back and you realize but um Yeah, like if he did a little bit better of a job of cutting off and getting himself in front of me, rather than following and all that sort of stuff, maybe he could have put himself more in that position.

But I mean, even when I did get caught in front of him, we drilled a lot of certain combos and things that we'll do, knowing what would probably come back.

And I was quite successful like that.

So he did have his moments.

But that's what's exciting about this one.

A lot of people, how do you take the rematch? It's like, all right, well, I'm...

he finally got a finish because that would have seemed to have been the thing that was actually stopping him from getting a title fight because he could be a tad bit boring at times.

How did you handle it, and what, what did that- what was that feeling of relief after you not only won again but became the world champ again?

Um, yeah, I mean, the biggest, it wasn't just being champion.

I think it was just, again, I just love, you know, when there's challenges come your way and just, uh, uh, just accomplishing the, the challenge, getting over the hurdle and getting, being rewarded, um, for, for that, right? Like, so you go through camp, and it's gonna be hard coming off the KO losses and the big break.

You know, there's some adversities through there.

Your head's gonna go places and all that, and, um, I wanted to, you know, not only show my kids but show the world that, like, hey, anything can be done.

For me to be able to accomplish that, that means so much to me.

Me just winning the belt back, I don't care, but me being able to jump those massive hurdles-

... to make it personal," right? How do, how do you create that whenever you are dominating in the way that you did?

How did you handle it, and what, what did that, what was that feeling of relief after you not only won again, but became the world champ again?

Um, yeah, I mean, the biggest, it wasn't just being champion.

I think it was just, again, I just love, you know, when there's challenges coming your way and just, uh, uh, just accomplishing the, the challenge, getting over the hurdle and getting, being rewarded, um, for, for that, right? Like, so you go through camp and it's gonna be hard coming off the KO losses and the big break.

You know, there's some adversities through there.

Your head's gonna go places and all that, and, um, I wanted to, you know, not only show my kids, but show the world that like, hey, anything can be done.

For me to be able to accomplish that, that means so much to me.

Me just winning the belt back, I don't care.

... to make it personal." Right? How do, how do you create that whenever you are dominating in the way that you did?

How did you handle it? And what, what did that, what was that feeling of relief after you not only won again, but became the world champ again?

Um, yeah, I mean, the biggest, it wasn't just being champion.

I think it was just, again, I just love, you know, when there's challenges come your way and just, uh, uh, just accomplishing the, the challenge, getting over the hurdle and getting, being rewarded, um, for, for that, right? Like, so you go through camp, and it's gonna be hard coming off the KO losses and the big break.

You know, there's some adversities through there.

Your head's gonna go places and all that.

And, um, I wanted to, you know, not only show my kids but show the world that like, hey, anything can be done.

For me to be able to accomplish that, that means so much to me.

... to make it personal." Right? How do, how do you create that whenever you are dominating in the way that you did?