Alexander Volkanovski had a fiery response to a UFC 319 newcomer who is promising to upset the apple cart.
Before Khamzat Chimaev challenges Dricus du Plessis for the UFC middleweight title in Saturday’s pay-per-view main event, a number of other ranked names and charging contenders will be in action at Chicago’s United Center.
That includes undefeated co-headliner Lerone Murphy, who returns after besting Josh Emmett in an Apex main event this past May. Next on his pursuit of a first title shot, Murphy will welcome Aaron Pico to the UFC.
The former Bellator prospect is looking to make an immediate impact and earn a championship opportunity of his own in quick time by making an emphatic arrival. And should he do so in the ‘Windy City’ on August 16, Pico is confident in his chances against the featherweight champion.
Alexander Volkanovski responds to Aaron Pico’s confidence by promising to ‘mop the floor’ with him
Speaking on Fox Sports’ mainevent, Pico looked ahead to a possible clash with Volkanovski, the reigning king at 145 pounds and a leading name in the featherweight GOAT debate. Despite the Australian’s greatness, the UFC newcomer suggested he has got all the tools needed to knock the champ out.
Volkanovski had his chance to respond to his potential future challenger on the same show, and the usually trash talk-free ‘Alexander the Great’ did not hold back…
“You’ve gotta think that. That is perfectly fine,” Volkanovski said of Pico’s remarks. “Everyone has a puncher’s chance.
“He is an all-American wrestler, but I’ll tell you right now, what’s the bet if we were to wrestle, I’d embarrass him there anyway. A lot of people want to be like, ‘I did this, I did that,’ like I haven’t faced them guys in the gym. I’ve faced really good wrestlers much heavier than him, and trust me, I do alright.
“He’s gotta have that confidence, right?” Volkanovski continued. “I am not gonna really take it seriously until he goes and shows me something. You’ve done stuff in your other promotions…come over here, do it here, and alright, I’ll look into it more.
“He’s only got a puncher’s chance, I’ll leave it at that. … I reckon I would honestly — it excites me because I reckon I’d crumble him in the wrestling department…I mop the floor with him.”
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Henry Cejudo disagrees with Alexander Volkanovski’s prediction
Pico is an unknown quantity to those who are predominantly UFC watchers, so they are likely to agree with Volkanovski’s remarks about how their fight would play out. One man who certainly does not, however, is Henry Cejudo.
After insisting that whoever wins in the UFC 319 main event should get the next featherweight title shot, Cejudo went a step further by backing Pico to beat Volkanovski should he secure a championship fight with his performance in Chicago on August 16.
“The winner of this fight is gonna fight Alexander Volkanovski, and I also feel the winner of this fight is gonna become our next champion,” Cejudo said on his Pound 4 Pound podcast alongside Kamaru Usman.
“All due respect to Volk, but dude, these young guns. Lerone Murphy is fighting Aaron Pico. Aaron Pico is in his f—- prime, bro. Power, wrestling; he has been a manchild since he was a kid, already competing at the highest levels while in high school, beating world champions.”