“You don’t get scared of getting hit and punched and hurt. You get scared of losing. I am worried about getting hit because that could cost me the fight and lose.” Alexander Volkanovski recently stated in an interview with Kevin Iole. Think about it! The man who was once on his way to becoming the greatest 145fer of all time now finds himself in limbo. Remember his tears wrapped in blood at the UFC 294 post-fight presser acknowledging his mental blocks and the urge to take that last-minute glory shot against Islam Makhachev? That was vulnerability and a stark reminder that even the best are not safe from the realities of the world. A kingdom at one moment, ashes the next. Unfortunately, this is the nature of the fight game and has always been.

But many would debate the circumstances surrounding that bout. 11 days’ notice and all but what unfolded at UFC 298 was even murkier. The king was dethroned in his own weight class as Ilia Topuria flatlined ‘Volk’ and took his featherweight crown. Talk about a bad dream, talk about a dark reality! The Aussie ace has seen it all. But as they say, the king claimed the throne for a reason! And at UFC 314, the former champ will once again try to clinch the strap against Diego Lopes and prove the naysayers wrong. But at 36 years old and his chin being shattered twice in back-to-back bouts, does ‘Volk’ have what it takes to do it all over again? It seems that former double champ Henry Cejudo doesn’t have much confidence!