UFC: Alex Volkanovski says his haters ‘have got to get over it’ but admits Max Holloway trilogy is inevitable
- Featherweight champ, who faces Brian Ortega on March 27, insists ‘I’ve stopped tying to please people who don’t care about me’
- ‘I’m 2-0 against [Holloway] … what I have now has been earned, not given to me – and it’s mine,’ Volkanovski adds
The UFC’s promos tell us that Alexander Volkanovski is the “undisputed” featherweight champion but still the Australian is being shadowed by the doubters.
Even as the Australian (22-1) prepares for the second defence of his title – against American Brian Ortega (15-1, one no contest) at UFC 260 in Las Vegas on March 28 – aspersions continue to be cast about the man’s credentials, by fellow fighters, even, and across social media.
But whereas once this may have been the cause of some consternation for Volkanovski, these days he says bring it on.
“The hate?” says the 32-year-old Volkanovski. “I’ve turned the hate into a positive in that I’ve used it as motivation. In the past I cared what people thought.
“So I’m sort of glad this has happened because now I think, ‘Stop trying to please them’. So I’ve stopped trying to please people who don’t care about me. Please the people who love you for who you are.