Throwback: When UFC stars Alexander Volkanovski and Robert Whittaker cosplayed as WWE legends 'Stone Cold' Steve Austin and Hulk Hogan

Alexander Volkanovski and Robert Whittaker once cosplayed as WWE icons 'Stone Cold' Steve Austin, and Hulk Hogan during a spirited skit on FOX Sports Australia.

Last year in April, the UFC’s parent company, Endeavor, finalized a deal to acquire a majority stake in WWE, facilitating the merger of the two combat sports entities into a single, publicly traded powerhouse, officially named TKO Group.

The newly established conglomerate began trading on the New York Stock Exchange under the 'TKO' ticker symbol in September 2023.

Following the announcement, FOX Sports Australia's host, Niko Pajarillo, discussed the merger on his show, Fight Week. However, the theme music for wrestling legend Hogan suddenly filled the background. Whittaker emerged, clad in a yellow singlet, a red bandana, red tights, and red boots, embodying Hogan's persona with a barrage of finger guns.

Before 'The Reaper' could utter a word, the iconic sound of glass shattering interrupted. Volkanovski then burst onto the set, flipping off every visible camera in true 'Stone Cold' fashion.

The former UFC middleweight champion, while imitating Hogan, remarked:

"Brother, I want you to listen to me and listen to me good. Brother, when I’m speaking, you look me in my eyes. I’m already in the WWE."

'The Great' then chimed in and added:

"And that’s the bottom line. Because Stone Cold and the Hulk said so."

Check out Alexander Volkanovski and Robert Whittaker's skit below:

Volkanovski is preparing to defend his featherweight championship against Ilia Topuria in the main event of UFC 298, while Whittaker is scheduled to face Paulo Costa in the co-headliner. The pay-per-view event is set to take place on February 17 at the Honda Center in Anaheim, California.

---

Robert Whittaker analyzes Alexander Volkanovski vs. Ilia Topuria

Robert Whittaker recently shared his thoughts on the upcoming title bout between Alexander Volkanovski vs. Ilia Topuria.

During an appearance on The Megan Anderson Show, Whittaker suggested that Topuria could be Volkanovski's toughest opponent yet. He believes 'El Matador' is well-matched with the champion and hinted that Volkanovski's previous KO loss to Islam Makhachev might influence the fight:

"I do think Alex is that good, but I do also think that Topuria is going to be his hardest test. Topuria is young and hungry. He has every skill set Alex does. Maybe Alex coming off the last loss gives Topuria the edge he needs to just inch it over. It's hard to say, but it's gonna be a hard fight."

Check out Robert Whitakker's comments below (7:52):