Alexander Volkanovski knows just how hard it is to bounce back from a knockout loss.
The UFC featherweight champion was famously knocked out by Islam Makhachev before trying to bounce back by fighting Ilia Topuria, who put him to sleep with strikes just a few months later.
Since then, Topuria has also knocked out Max Holloway to put himself in the 145lb GOAT conversation.
‘Blessed’ will look to rebound from the first KO loss of his career when he squares off against Dustin Poirier at UFC 318 on Saturday night.
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Alexander Volkanovski highlights Max Holloway’s KO loss
Alexander Volkanovski has fought and beaten Holloway three times during his legendary UFC career.
Ahead of UFC 318, Poirier is 2-0 against the Hawaiian and on the verge of replicating Volkanovski’s achievement.
However, Volkanovski is backing Holloway to recover from the toughest setback of his career by defending the BMF belt and sending Poirier into retirement on a loss.
“He’s coming off the first knockout loss ever. Not many people can bounce back from that,” Volkanovski told Fox Sports Australia. “A lot of people change after that, but there’s only a few that can bounce back in a positive way, and I know he’s one of them.
“I’m going to go with Max. Obviously, he’s coming off a KO loss, which is something that’s going to be a big factor. Not many people can bounce back from a KO loss. There’s very few that can, and I think Max is definitely one of them.
“I think you’re maybe going to see the same Max or an even more improved Max now that he’s going to even be that little bit more calculated, because you know he can.
“You know he’s tough, you know he’s got a lot of skills, but now to have even more of a calculated approach, I think he’s going to be one tough man to beat.”
What’s next for Alexander Volkanovski?
Although he didn’t do it immediately, Volkanovski has bounced back in the best way possible.
The Aussie fan favorite outpointed Diego Lopes to win the vacant featherweight title at UFC 314 in April
Volkanovski is now looking for an opponent for the first defense of his second reign as the 145lb king.
In an ideal world, 19-0 contender Movsar Evloev, who has just withdrawn from a fight with Aaron Pico due to injury, will be next for Volkanovski.
“I’ll fight whoever,” he recently said. “Whoever they put in front of me, I’m fighting…
“If you ask me, ‘Who would I be most excited for?’ It probably would be Movsar.”