The Volk that fought Islam was a different fighter than the Volk that fought Topuria

[RichardHarrow]

Polytheist Volk had the allegiance of the various Arabian tribes scattered on the Peninsula, but once Islam came, he lost their loyalty and was left vulnerable to an attack by the Spaniards.

Totally agree

 

[TITS]

I rewatched the first Volk/Islam fight yesterday, and some of those rounds were so close that you could have possibly scored it 49-46 for Volk (I scored it 48-47 for Volk). As far as him being a different fighter in the rematch, yeah but he had no training camp and was drinking beer every day. He definitely needed more time before the Topuria fight too.

 

[textwarrior]

Before and after Volk fought Islam the first time he had a certain aura of invincibility around him. Volk had taken 2 rounds from Islam in that fight, utterly dominating the last minutes. Volk had an impressive 20 Fight win streak, multiple title defenses, only 1 loss and 25 wins. Then they rematched on 11 days notice and Volk got his lights shut off by a head kick, then Volk comes around and rematches Topuria a few months later and gets his lights shut even worse, almost as if his chin is gone in just 2 fights. So Volk went from 25-1 Champion to 26-4 coming off 2 bad knockout losses in a row and it doesn't seem like he can take a punch the way he was in the holloway fights. I think this version of Volkanovski would have gotten slept by Holloway.

The first Volk was different than the rematch Volk and Topuria...I think he is on the decline. I thought he would slow down later but I was wrong.

 

[Buffmeister]

Another excuse from another
Volk cry-baby....

Jeeezuz...pay attention to the weightclasses and up and coming fighters such as Ilia.
Stop paying attention to what the UFC machine is trying to sell you...and you wouldnt look for excuses.

It was the same Volk we saw in his last 10 fights or so...

 

[wwkirk]

Before and after Volk fought Islam the first time he had a certain aura of invincibility around him. Volk had taken 2 rounds from Islam in that fight, utterly dominating the last minutes. Volk had an impressive 20 Fight win streak, multiple title defenses, only 1 loss and 25 wins. Then they rematched on 11 days notice and Volk got his lights shut off by a head kick, then Volk comes around and rematches Topuria a few months later and gets his lights shut even worse, almost as if his chin is gone in just 2 fights. So Volk went from 25-1 Champion to 26-4 coming off 2 bad knockout losses in a row and it doesn't seem like he can take a punch the way he was in the holloway fights. I think this version of Volkanovski would have gotten slept by Holloway.

But is his chin really gone, or is he less able to evade shots? Are you saying pre-Islam1-Volk could have withstood Topuria's KO punch, or that he would have slipped it? After all, Topuria has been known to knock dudes out in the UFC.

 

[tasticles]

This just proves that Islam ruins everything.

Everything Islam touches is destroyed.

 

[fedoriswar37]

No shit Sherlock. He's rather active And is getting old. A tale as old as time.

 

[Tweak896]

It's crazy that people think Volk can take a year off and heal, then just repeat the same fight and take the same punch and then win the fight instead. Topuria landed a shot that would put down anyone, he's been putting out guys in their prime. Just a weird ass narrative, he going to have to change his styles like Whittaker did from fighting Izzy the first time to the rematch. Unfortunately Volk is only tuned into his usual style and he's going to perform much worse.

 

[SaltedVinegarfootstomps]

Volk fell into his own gimmick. Never underestimate your opponent, and work harder than everyone else. Illia was a different animal, but Volk never noticed because his eyes were on the horizon. Topuria was busy grinding.

 

[maximus__]

Before and after Volk fought Islam the first time he had a certain aura of invincibility around him. Volk had taken 2 rounds from Islam in that fight, utterly dominating the last minutes. Volk had an impressive 20 Fight win streak, multiple title defenses, only 1 loss and 25 wins. Then they rematched on 11 days notice and Volk got his lights shut off by a head kick, then Volk comes around and rematches Topuria a few months later and gets his lights shut even worse, almost as if his chin is gone in just 2 fights. So Volk went from 25-1 Champion to 26-4 coming off 2 bad knockout losses in a row and it doesn't seem like he can take a punch the way he was in the holloway fights. I think this version of Volkanovski would have gotten slept by Holloway.

It's the entire reason why someone like Islam actually has to fight the top 5 of his division before we assume he will magically beat them because Khabib did.

Nobody would have picked Topuria to win the belt like that 12 months ago, but it's happened because of the fights Volk went through and Ilia prepping for and catching Volk.

It doesn't take away from Volks accomplishments. He still defended the title 5 x, beat 3/4 previous champs in his weightclass and was a round of back control away from winning the LW title. He was also technically looking great vs Ilia and could take that fight also with some minor adjustments. It's MMA and when you fight the best, you are bound to lose eventually. If Volk retired after his last FW fight, nobody would say he was old and done.

 

[Noraaq]

Would pre-Islam Volk have beaten Topuria? Who knows, but its always more dangerous to fight an opponent with momentum. Momentum can turn an average fighter to a good one, a good fighter to great, a great fighter to elite, and elite fighter to GOAT status.

Its one of the reasons Ive always scoffed when people mention that Charles has the same wins as Khabib. Khabib took the momentum away from Gaethje and Dustin, whereas Charles fought them at a lesser mental state.

 

[dcthegod]

aside from the obvious - the ko 4 months ago - i have the unpopular opinion that ilia actually got in volk's head before the fight. it was almost like volk knew in the back of his head all media week. could be wrong, but i just felt it the whole time. and the whole fight was just waiting for that right hand to connect and drop him. really on some pre destined shit

 

[Private Whatley]

There’s a case to be made that Volk took the fight too soon following a bad knockout, but that’s all conjecture. I’m fairly certain that that finishing blow would have felled any interation of Volk that entered the cage. Moreover, Topuria dropped it as the capstone in a combo string. It wasn’t a lucky shot nor was it a glancing blow. It was a point blank power shot that he set up with an initial salvo to open Volk’s guard. Questions will continue to circulate about Volk’s fitness to fight, but I just saw beautiful gamesmanship

 

[Substance Abuse]

Volk is compromised to a degree from mismanaging the last few years of his career, developing a drinking problem and age. Still, with that in mind, he was doing well offensively, but you could see a slight dip in spacial awareness and was a bit more flat footed. That said, the punch he ate was probably putting him out regardless, it just may have never landed that flush if Volkanovski was younger; not coming off of an injury; a brutal knockout loss; and surgery months ago.

Thing is, that's what happens when you're ten to twelve years deep into your career, coming off a brutal loss and are 35, fighting top competition at the lower weight classes. GSP is considered one of the greats and his career was winding down in '03 after almost twelve years of fighting, prompting him to retire. Condit's descent began in '14 after starting in '02 when he got injured against Woodley. Aldo was a few months shy of his twelfth year in MMA at 29 when he began to lose. Fedor started taking losses almost eleven years in. Edgar wasn't the same thirteen years in. Big Nog eleven years. Liddell hit the wall around that time.

Yes, there are outliers like Mighty Mouse, Jon Jones and Anderson Silva (wink wink), but for the most part, the majority of top fighters experience a decline after this time frame and begin to taste defeat more often as reflexes change; wear takes it toll; chins fade; injuries linger; weight cuts get harder.

Topuria was a better athlete and hits hard as shit. History tells us he should beat Volkanovski. He did. And it doesn't lessen the win one bit. Volkanovski did what greats do - dominate a division until they don't and everything catches up to you. No excuse. Just reality. Props to Ilia. He hit Volk with a fucking rocket.