Alexander Volkanovski: Movsar Evloev has ‘incredible wrestling’ but ‘it’s just not enough for me’

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Alex Volkanovski wrestles Islam Makhachev in Australia | Getty Images

Takedowns have been a crucial part in Movsar Evloev’s success in the UFC, but featherweight champion Alexander Volkanovski warns him that those weapons alone won’t be enough to win the title at UFC 333.

Volkanovski will hold the record for most title wins in UFC featherweight history if he beats Evloev on Oct. 24 in Abu Dhabi, and he’s aware of Evloev’s wrestling abilities. The Russian fighter is 10-0 in the UFC — and 20-0 in the sport — with 49 takedowns landed in the octagon, 22 of those against Lerone Murphy, Aljamain Sterling, Arnold Allen and Diego Lopes.

“[Evloev has] incredible wrestling,” Volkanovski said during the UFC 333 media day on Wednesday. “One of the best in the UFC, definitely the best in our division. But again, it’s just not enough for me, you know what I mean?”

Volkanovski was victorious in 15 of 18 UFC bouts over the past decade and only gave away 10 takedowns in featherweight bouts, still winning every single one of those matches. Islam Makhachev managed to take him down four times in their first clash, but that was at lightweight.

“To be honest, I believe if if we went five rounds of no strikes and just wrestling, grappling, I’ll beat him there,” Volkanovski said of Evloev. “I truly do believe that. I think he’s got great wrestling, but when it comes to MMA and all that sort of stuff, it’s just it’s not enough. I get to show that anyway.”

That doesn’t mean, however, that Volkanovski is underestimating the challenges that Evloev brings to the table at UFC 333.

“But I mean, at the same time, I’ve got a lot of respect for him,” Volkanovski said. “He’s a great fighter, great wrestler, but again, these things are not problems for me. Even if you get me there, I’m not going to panic. We know I’m going to get back to the feet and the damage that he’s going to try and do in those positions, it’s going to be impossible. As soon as he tries to do damage, he’s just going to lose me straight away. He’s going to try and hang on and that still won’t be enough.

“And again, no knock to him, I’ve got a lot of respect for him, but it’s just the guy that’s in front of him, and that’s me, and that’s what I’m going to bring.”