LAS VEGAS – Michael Chandler believes UFC featherweight champion Alexander Volkanovskistill carries the strength from his rugby days.
Volkanovski weighed more than 200 pounds when he played rugby but has excelled in his MMA career as a 145 pounder. He will move up in weight to challenge lightweight champion Islam Makhachev in the UFC 284 headliner on Feb. 11 at RAC Arena in Perth, Australia.
No one has found an answer to Makhachev’s (23-1 MMA, 12-1 UFC) grappling prowess, but Chandler thinks Volkanovski (25-1 MMA, 12-0 UFC) will be able to show some resistance despite the size discrepancy.
“I’m a huge Volkanovski fan,” Chandler told MMA Junkie. “He’s very, very good. Is he gonna be smaller than Islam? Yes, very much so. I do think Volkanovski is gonna do better than we all think he does. He used to weigh 210 pounds, 220 pounds, whatever he was when he was playing rugby. Your body remembers that.
“You carry that strength with you. You carry that power with you. You carry just the hip strength of Islam not being able to take him down. The one thing I see is that Volkanovski is a little bit shorter, so that leverage game of if Islam gets up underneath him, puts his head underneath his chin, he’s gonna be able to lift him off the ground pretty easy.”
If Volkanovski is able to avoid hitting the ground for too long, Chandler thinks the rest of the advantages will be in his favor.
“In the striking department, Volkanovski is better than him,” Chandler added. “I think in the speed and the power department, Volkanovski is better than him. So, anything outside of Islam going out there and taking him down in the first minute of each round and holding him down, I think Volkanovski might actually squeak out a decision. Most likely not a finish but a decision.”
We’ve seen volk in more high level situations but I believe Islam will strike at the heart of the infadel
Chandler’s bias is picking his fellow munchkin.
Volk will do a lot better than Charles, that is something I’m betting on.
Islams been finished so what if it’s his second fight in UFC, Volk out struck Holloway, he just needs to worry about the wrestling
Islam has gotten way better since then.
Volk nearly got subbed by Ortega and tangled up in his grappling, doesn’t have great power. I’m not actually excited for this fight at all because the outcome is inevitable.
Chandler picked Charles to beat Islam because Charles had beaten him.
Fighters pick the fighter who beat them 100% of the time when asked if fighter A who beat them in the past is going to beat fighter B.
Just how it goes.
Chandler said he thinks Volkanovski might squeak out a decision but I think he if had to bet $100k at even money, he would place his bet on Islam.
Yeah I get what you mean bcs of the wrestling of Islam, I think charles would have put up a better fight had he not walked that close and thrown that knee.
That makes sense BJ Penn forever, I agree that’s why he picked him
Volk is light on his feet, great fight iq, sharp hands and training grappling with Craig Jones… i have hope!
Should be a great fight. Islam will be too strong and too good a grappler though. His boxing is also better than anyone previously thought
This. Islam is gonna steamroll him
Charles did not look great there, I’m a huge fan of his but he was tentative
Islam made it look easy.
I think he beats Volk but I agree he does better than Charles
That’s just not cool man. Shouldn’t be making fun of something he can do nothing about.
Also, Volkanovski has also been finished before. Both happened years ago. Has no bearing on their current skills.
Lol, “how about jumping knee? …eats 1-2 “ 