How UFC icon inspired Volk’s hilarious presser showdown with ‘Conor McGregor wannabe’
Volk #Volk
So there was Alexander Volkanovski up on stage all beige cardigan, grey flat cap and head tilted back, pretending to fall asleep.
Perched on his nose, reading glasses.
On his feet, loafers.
Which isn’t at all like how Conor McGregor does it, right?
But this you should know, is the whole point.
And exactly how Volkanovski explained things to Fox Sports Australia only hours before walking – sorry, dawdling – up onto stage for one of the greatest piss takes in UFC history.
Importantly too, it worked.
Big time.
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With Australia’s UFC featherweight king not only winning over a raucous Anaheim crowd, but saying so much about himself as fellow fighters like Paulo Costa, Henry Cejudo, even countryman Rob Whittaker laughed along.
Oh, yeah, it also appeared to drive rival Ilia Topuria bonkers.
With the cocky Spaniard at one point so annoyed, or perhaps bewildered, by Volkanovski’s Oscar-winning ‘Old Man’ schtick that he simply starting shouting “shut the f… up” to nobody in particular.
Soon after too, he went and snatched Volkanovski’s belt.
A trick which worked most famously for Irish megastar McGregor against Jose Aldo.
But this night, remember, was not about McGregorisms.
‘Shut the f*** up’: Volk clashes with rival in WILD presser after epic ‘old man’ stunt
Volk dominates in all-time performance | 05:19
ULTIMATE GUIDE: Everything you need to know about UFC 298
In fact, it exists in stark contrast not only to the bluster that so many fighters carry now trying to mimic the greatest showman of all time, but the undeniable ugliness that has also seeped into similar UFC showings in recent times.
In fact, while sat across from us in an interview only 24 hours earlier, the champ had revealed that what he really dislikes about Topuria – and several others in the sport – is that continual carrying of what he dubbed “the Conor McGregor vibe”.
Quizzed on the incredible confidence Topuria has shown right throughout fight week, Volkanovski said: “Look I think the confidence he’s showing is real.
“But he’s also playing into it.
“Playing into that Conor McGregor vibe.
“Which can go really well if things go to plan for you.
“If Topuria goes out there and gets a big knockout win – especially after talking like he has been — the guy becomes a superstar.
“But if it goes wrong — and it will go wrong Sunday – man, that then becomes a big bite in the arse.
“So once I win, Topuria will have to go and change his whole persona.
“Which will be weird.
“But for these guys doing this stuff, you need it to go so right if it’s going to work like it worked for McGregor.”
At the presser, he doubled down, calling Topuria a “Conor McGregor wannabe”.
Volk ROASTS ‘Conor McGregor wannabe’ | 00:46
But as for Old Man Volk?
His performance, truly, was not only unique, or outstanding, but undeniably Australian.
It was also nothing like what we have come to expect from fighting superstars.
Take, for example, when Topuria grabbed Volk’s belt and lifted it above his head and earned nothing but boos.
Same as it also earned ‘El Matador’ a reprimand from Old Man Volk – the character born this past week in a Sportsbet commercial – who then promised to give the young whipper snapper a right ‘ol spanking.
Or something like that.
For while we would like to give you the exact words, they were impossible to hear live over a crowd going nuts for a exactly the type of performance you’d expect from a joker out of some joint called Windang.
Which is indeed, how it went every time Volkanovski spoke.
Or slept.
Or pretended he couldn’t hear.
Just as for Topuria, he could do nothing to stop those boos reigned down.
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Old man Volk promises to ‘spank’ Topuria | 02:14
Which made for a wonderfully unique break from usual UFC programming.
Especially considering how over the past few months fighters like Chaos have sent similar press events more than a little sideways.
But not Volk.
No, he never mentioned anyone’s family, faith, features, any of it.
In fact, the only bloke he mocked was himself.
Or more specifically, his age.
With the 35-year-old aware he heads into UFC 298 this Sunday carrying question marks over his reign, his chin, even those numbers on his birth certificate.
Yet rather than yelling loudly at his critics, Volk went and joined the pile on.
And given nobody saw that coming, it worked.
But also know this – the champ is ready.
For while he may play ‘Old Man Volk’ well enough to almost earned a star on the nearby Hollywood Walk of Fame, he remains in every sense a killer.
A fella who doesn’t simply plan to win this weekend, but do so with one of those efforts Dana White likes to call a ‘Holy s… moment’.
Yet just as importantly, he does so without any bluster.
Pushed on fighters trying so hard recently to adopt McGregorisms at public events, Volk continued: “You see a lot of them now who think trash talking is the way to go.
“I’m just glad I haven’t had to do that.
“Glad I’ve been able to be myself throughout this whole process.
“And I think people do appreciate that.
“I think that’s why people back me and like to see me do well.”
Certainly that was the case on Thursday here in Anaheim’s Honda Centre.
With Volkanovski cheered not only when he first appeared in character, but limped up stage for the face offs – gripping the rails tight as if to prevent a stumble.
But the real highlight?
That had to be around 17 minutes in when, with Topuria once again going off, and the boos reigning down, the UFC’s greatest ever featherweight pretended to fall asleep on stage.
Truly, it was an acting masterclass.
With fellow fighter Paulo Costa even rising from his chair, crossing the stage and softly shaking Volk on the shoulders as if to wake him up.
Of course, the Aussie couldn’t help but play along.
Appearing eventually to wake startled as Costa pointed out into the crowd, from where the media were asking questions.
Then, Volk grinned and started talking again.
And once more sent the crowd nuts.