Henry Cejudo urges Alexander Volkanovski to fight him instead of a "monster" like Islam Makhachev

"He's gonna get ground-and-pound to death" - Henry Cejudo urges Alexander Volkanovski to fight him instead of a "monster" like Islam Makhachev

By Danish Ansari

Modified Oct 30, 2022 09:51 GMT

Henry Cejudo (left), Islam Makhachev and Alexander Volkanovski (right) [Images courtesy: @ufc via Instagram and Getty] — Henry Cejudo (left), Islam Makhachev and Alexander Volkanovski (right) [Image credits: @ufc on Instagram and Getty]

Henry Cejudo believes that a fight between Islam Makhachev and Alexander Volkanovski would be a bad matchup that won't end favorably for the featherweight champion.

According to 'Triple C', Volkanovski should be fighting him instead of the newly-minted lightweight champion. Speaking on an episode of The Triple C & Schmo Show, Cejudo explained why he believes he should be next in line to challenge the reigning featherweight king:

"I personally think I should've shortcuted the line because Alexander Volkanovski's been through everybody and I think it would be more appeasing for me and Alexander Volkanovski to fight. For him to take a monster like Islam where he's gonna get ground-and-pound to death..."

Watch Henry Cejudo discuss Islam Makhachev vs. Alexander Volkanovski below:

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Islam Makhachev is known for his elite grappling, which is expected to give him an edge over Alexander Volkanovski when the two collide. The odds reflect the same as Makhachev opened as a significant betting favorite.

The Russian opened as a -400 favorite, while Volkanovski opened as a +300 underdog, as per betonline_ag.

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Henry Cejudo insists four months isn't long enough for Alexander Volkanovski to prepare for Islam Makhachev

Alexander Volkanovski looks determined to move up to lightweight to become the next UFC double champion. Both Islam Makhachev and Volkanovski have expressed interest in going to featherweight champion’s home country of Australia for a potential superfight at UFC 284 on February 12 next year.

However, Cejudo believes that it would be a bad idea for 'The Great'. 'Triple C' believes Makhachev will be a tough challenge for Volkanovski and recently advised the Australian to have a proper training camp to deal with the Dagestani's dominant wrestling.

Speaking on his YouTube channel, Cejudo had this to say about the rumored superfight and Volkanovski's chances:

"I don’t understand why they’re doing Australia in February. So damn early, but what you are gonna need? Alexander, I know you have skills, but going up against a guy like this, you’re gonna need a lot more than four months. You’re gonna need the right training partners and the right coaches."

Watch Henry Cejudo break down a potential Makhachev vs. Volkanovski bout below:

About the author

Danish is an MMA writer at Sportskeeda. He is a versatile journalist who has covered pop culture, fashion, lifestyle, space exploration, and gaming in over 4 years of journalistic experience for the likes of the Republic World. However, a significant portion of his experience was dedicated to MMA reporting owing to his passion for combat sports.

At Sportskeeda now for over 2.5 years, Danish focuses on MMA coverage, drawing from his lifelong love for wrestling, both amateur and professional and also practicing it on and off. This admiration for grappling reflects in his favorite fighters, Khabib Nurmagomedov and Georges St-Pierre, who are both celebrated for their exceptional wrestling skills.

Danish's dedication to creating relevant and intriguing content is evident in his thorough research, which includes monitoring fighters' social media, their interviews, and staying updated with prominent MMA news outlets.

Outside of work, Danish indulges in his passion for traveling.

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Edited by C. Naik