Alexander Volkanovski’s coach reflects on the sacrifices ‘The Great’ made to reach the pinnacle of MMA: "It was a gamble"

By Liam Fresen

Modified Apr 11, 2025 11:20 GMT

Alexander Volkanovski (middle) sacrificed everything to make it to the top of the UFC, says his coach while reflecting on their journey [Image courtesy: Getty Images]

Alexander Volkanovski is one of the greatest fighters in the history of MMA. 'The Great' reigned supreme over the UFC featherweight division from December 2019 until February 2024 before suffering a KO loss to Ilia Topuria at UFC 298 to lose the belt.

But he will have a chance to reclaim that title against Diego Lopes at UFC 314 on April 12. Ahead of his title fight, Volkanovski's longtime coach, Joe Lopez, reflected on their journey to the top of the MMA mountain.

Lopez's comments came during a recent interview with Adam Jones on A Quick Razz, where the Absolute MMA head coach said this:

"He was determined, he wanted to get there. He put the work in. A lot of people say they want to get there, but they don't put the work in. He's sacrificed a lot. He's doing well now, and good on him. But in the early days he had to rent his house out and move in with his mom. [He] sacrificed a lot... It was a gamble, was he going to get into the UFC? Number one. And two, the UFC doesn't pay that much. Is it gonna be enough to support his family? And you get hurt and it's all over."

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Check out Joe Lopez discussing Alexander Volkanovski below (9:20):

Joe Lopez addresses Alexander Volkanovski's "underdog" status ahead of UFC 314

UFC 314 will see Alexander Volkanovski and Diego Lopes go to war for the vacant featherweight title. 'The Great' will be entering the octagon off the back of two consecutive knockout losses, and questions have arisen about whether or not he will be the same fighter as prior to the defeats.

Lopes on the other hand is on a five-fight winning streak, with a strong performance against former title challenger Brian Ortega in his previous outing at Noche UFC 306.

With an underlying expectation from many pundits being that Volkanovski may lose to Lopes, the Australian's longtime coach has addressed the narrative. Joe Lopez was recently interviewed by Submission Radio, where he said this:

"No, not [suprised] at all. You're always as good as your last fight. [Volkanovski] didn't go too good in his last fight. Obviously he's gonna be the underdog. People are gonna write him off. But we've always liked that, being the underdog, people doubting us from the beginning. If anything, that just spurs Alex on more and makes him more determined to win."

Watch Joe Lopez discuss Alexander Volkanovski below (9:55):

About the author

Liam is a MMA and Boxing writer at Sportskeeda. His journey into MMA journalism began with a high school diploma in 2017, but his passion for writing led him to diverse experiences, including internships in research and writing roles and accounting work.

Liam's fascination with MMA was sparked by Conor McGregor, with Dustin Poirier's bout against Dan Hooker in 2020 sealing his love for the sport. Poirier remains Liam's favorite fighter, whom he admires for his attitude, fighting style, and persona both inside and outside the cage. He is an advocate for the removal of the 12-6 elbow rule in MMA.

Liam strives to report precise and relevant information by cross-checking his work, reaching out to relevant sources for comments, and adhering to Sportskeeda's guidelines. His work has been recognized on popular MMA platforms, with his article headlines featuring in YouTube recaps and appearing onscreen during an episode of The Joe Rogan Experience.

Outside of work, Liam enjoys playing cricket, practising Brazilian jiu-jitsu, cooking, music, and reading.

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Edited by C. Naik