Alexander Volkanovski Tries to Smooth ‘Unknown’ UFC 301 Headliner’s Nerves Sooner than Title Fight – ‘Soak It Up’

On the foundation explore, Alexander Volkanovski and Steve Erceg construct now not absorb mighty on the complete. Nonetheless, despite the flyweight title contender’s short UFC profession and middle-outdated faculty dad appears to be like (brooding in regards to the Michael Scott memes associated with the Aussie), he is one amongst the hardest fighters now not correct within the field but furthermore within the UFC’s flyweight division that has no shortage of hard guys.

That’s the reason flyweight champion Alexandre Pantoja chose to fight the Australian despite him being ranked #10 within the UFC flyweight rankings. Sooner than Steve Erceg’s UFC 301 title clash in opposition to Pantoja on the latter’s dwelling turf, the Australian met with Volkanovski to grab the legendarily hard faded featherweight champion’s brains. And ‘Volk’ did now not hesitate to piece his insights.

Alexander Volkanovski tells Steve Erceg to ‘revel in’ the loathe from the crowd

UFC Australia and Contemporary Zealand posted a video on its unswerving Twitter epic the put Alexander Volkanovski is also seen asking Erceg in regards to the difficulty of his UFC 301 clash in opposition to Pantoja. “Is it [location of your next fight] Rio [de Janeiro]?” the faded champion requested. ‘Astroboy’ confirmed this and urged ‘Volk’ he was once watching for a adversarial reception from the Rio audience, whom he expects to firmly be of their compatriot Pantoja’s corner. “Rather about a of us yelling for me to die,” Erceg stated.

Volkanovski, nonetheless, urged him to organize mentally for the loathe from the crowd and bear in mind in regards to the duty at hand, i.e., defeating the Brazilian to change into the brand new UFC flyweight champion. “Ah mate, like soak it up, what I mean?… You appreciate what to depend on, it’s like ‘Ah cool,’ correct exercise that. Got bigger things to concern about than of us booing. Who cares, what I mean?… You’ve obtained a job to construct anyway, that’s all you focal level on,” ‘Alexander the Mountainous’ added.

And Erceg, who has simplest fought thrice within the promotion, will want the complete advice he may possibly possibly earn. Along with his inexperience, Erceg is furthermore ranked #10 within the division, which has raised questions about why he is getting the title shot over the other high flyweight contenders. And the credit for that goes to the Brazilian champion himself.

Pantoja wished to fight a ‘new face’

Alexandre Pantoja won the flyweight title off of Brandon Moreno in a difficult fight last year. While he has defended the title simplest once (in opposition to Brandon Royval in December), he has previously fought and defeated most of the end contenders within the 125-pound division.

Having faced most of the end contenders within the flyweight division (excluding in all likelihood, for Muhammad Mokaev), the champion was once buying for a “new” face for his second title protection. And after Erceg’s spectacular UFC 295 knockout of Matt Schnell, ‘The Cannibal’ decided to present the #10 ranked flyweight a shot on the title in simplest his fourth UFC fight.

“He’s [Erceg’s] a finally hard opponent. I factor in that, at this second, he is extra hard than [Brandon] Royval, than [Brandon] Moreno, because he is a man who comes from on the wait on of, with nothing to lose. He is #10 within the rating, he comes new within the weight class… The absolute most realistic thing in opposition to it is that I hold I finally absorb extra journey of combating. I factor in this may possibly occasionally be outdated by me within the octagon,” Pantoja stated in an interview.

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