UFC featherweight champion Alexander Volkanovski’s coach commented on his fighter potential retiring after UFC 333.
Volkanovski fights Movsar Evloev in the UFC 333 headliner in October in Abu Dhabi. The Aussie has said that if things go bad for him in the fight, then the 38-year-old champion could step away from MMA.
But his coach isn’t so sure that will be the case.
Alexander Volkanovski’s Coach Reacts to Retirement Conversation
Speaking to Submission Radio, Volkanovski’s coach Joe Lopez said he doesn’t see the legend stepping away from MMA even if things go terribly wrong against Evloev.
“At the end of the day, it’s his decision, not mine. We’ll discuss it with him obviously and go through it but knowing Alex, if he loses, he’ll go, ‘I don’t want to go out on a loss and I want to come back and get it back. Come back on a win.’ I just know how competitive he is. I just know the way he is so it’s a fine line or a two-edged sword that we’re playing here,” Lopez said (via MMAjunkie.com).
Coach Says Alexander Volkanovski Looking Strong
According to Lopez, Volkanovski is looking sharp in his training camp for Evloev, which is why he doesn’t think he will step away from the game, especially after beating Diego Lopes in his last two fights.
“I was happy after the first Diego fight, I would have been happy if he went out then. Every fight is a gamble. The thing is Alex always comes in well prepared, and he’s looking probably better and stronger than he has done in a long time,” Lopez said.
We’ll have to wait and see how the UFC 333 headliner plays out before we find out what Volkanovski’s future holds, but either way, this is not going to be an easy fight for the champ.
Evloev enters this bout with a perfect 20-0 MMA record, including a 10-0 mark in the UFC, so he is one of the toughest challengers of Volkanovski’s career to date.
Depending on what happens to him in the fight, it could be the last we see of him.
Alexander Volkanovski’s Coach Comments on Potential Retirement