Alexander
Volkanovski says he embraced an extra challenge ahead of his
latest title defense.
Volkanovski said he was ill heading into his
Ultimate Fighting Championship featherweight title bout against
Movsar
Evloev at
UFC 333 in Abu Dhabi. The champion retained his title by
stopping the previously undefeated Evloev in the second round.
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Alexander Volkanovski says his team opposed his decision to
fight Movsar Evloev without permitted medication
Volkanovski (29-4) subsequently revealed that he declined
medication for his illness despite being told it was permitted.
“The Great” said he thought people might view it as an advantage if
he took it.
“I thought people might look at it as an advantage even though it
would only be so I wouldn’t feel as bad and as sick,” Volkanovski
said during a media scrum captured by Brendan Bradford. “I turned
it down, even though the UFC and everyone else were saying, ‘No,
you’re allowed to do this. You can take it. Why aren’t you doing
it?’”
The Australian said he viewed fighting through the illness as a
challenge and that his team was unhappy with his decision.
“Not many people would choose to do that, I guess,” Volkanovski
added. “But I looked at it more like, ‘Nah, I like the idea of this
being more of a challenge now.’ Let me put it this way: my team
weren’t happy with me. They weren’t happy at all, but I guess they
weren’t surprised either.”