Ilia Topuria did all the things attainable to get below Alexander Volkanovski’s pores and skin on the UFC 298 pre-fight press convention. However his makes an attempt appeared to fall on deaf ears – and that’s not as a result of the featherweight champ dressed like he wanted listening to aids.
Taking part in into the narrative that age is catching up, Volkanovski “hobbled” out on stage in Anaheim, Calif., dressed like his grandfather, full with a cardigan, a sequence hanging from his bifocal glasses and a newsboy cap to high it off.
Volkanovski mentioned he was having a little bit of enjoyable following weeks of questions on his validity as champion at 35, which appears to be the cutoff for fighters discovering success in lots of the smaller weight courses.
“Simply having a little bit of enjoyable with it,” he mentioned. “You’ve obtained to do it, for the folks as effectively. Everybody appreciated the outfit, so I wished to do it in particular person.”
Topuria didn’t get the memo about having enjoyable, as a result of he was all about enterprise, although a lot of what he mentioned was drowned out by a loud refrain of boos from the group. That led to Topuria lashing out on the viewers, then turning his consideration again to Volkanovski Sr.
“Shut the f*** up! Shut up,” Topuria shouted. “You see how one can gown? You already know what’s going to occur. You simply got here prepared on your retirement. Look the way you look as an previous man.”
Time and again, Topuria tried to verbally assault Volkanovski, however the reigning UFC featherweight king simply refused to play into his trash speak. When that didn’t work, Topuria leaned over the desk and snatched the UFC belt sitting in entrance of Volkanovski, which lastly obtained him to leap out of his seat.
“Get up and do one thing,” Topuria mentioned. “Humble me. I’m proper right here in entrance of you. Do one thing.”
The belt ultimately returned to its rightful proprietor, however even after that temporary altercation, Volkanovski nonetheless brushed it off. Then he delivered a message to Topuria.
“You may as effectively reap the benefits of it now,” Volkanovski mentioned to Topuria. “You’re by no means going to see it once more. Not till I train you a lesson. Possibly in the future you is usually a nice champion. I’m going to kick your ass first, you’ll study your lesson, and possibly you’ll be able to bounce again after that.
“Till then, get your palms off my belt.”
After all, Topuria stealing the title belt is a web page taken proper out of Conor McGregor’s playbook; the Irish star did the identical to Jose Aldo when he was about to battle for the UFC featherweight title. On that night time, an irate Aldo jumped out of his seat and tried to get at McGregor.
Volkanovski didn’t actually even lunge for the belt, a lot much less attempt to sort out Topuria for stealing it. He simply continued to chuckle off the state of affairs, even faking falling asleep whereas Topuria was speaking.
“Conor McGregor wannabe huh? How about this bloke?” Volkanovski mentioned. “I feel this previous man wants to show this younger fella a lesson.”
Regardless of the simmering tensions between them, the UFC 298 fighters confronted off on stage with out incident and even shared a handshake earlier than separating.
The speaking is now practically carried out as Volkanovski prepares to defend his featherweight title for the sixth consecutive time, which places him just one away from tying Aldo’s all-time report at 145 kilos.
