Alexander Volkanovski can relate to the shocking weight swings that Paddy Pimblett goes through after a fight.
UFC featherweight champion Alexander Volkanovski is currently the number one pound-for-pound fighter in the UFC. He is a dominant force in his division and has defended his title four times in three years. He appears to be a specimen of health and athleticism, but Volkanovski admits that this way not always the case.
Standing at 5 feet 6 inches, Volkanovski is a stocky 145-pounder. Before his MMA days, the champ was a rugby athlete and weighed up to 240 pounds. He spoke recently to The AllStar about his former weight issues and his thoughts on another UFC making the same mistakes.
Alexander Volkanovski sees a bit of himself in Paddy Pimblett and his weight instability
Paddy Pimblett is a rising star in the UFC lightweight division. He is now 3-0 in the UFC and found a cult following by fans. Pimblett has a habit of gaining weight following fights and has caught some flak from fans due to his size. Volkanovski can relate to this and offers the young fighter some tips.
“I used to do that. I used to weigh in at 65.8, 145[pounds] and within the week, so next weekend, 86 kilograms. That’s over 185 [pounds]. It’s well over that, it’s almost 190. So I used to go 145 to 190 in one week and it’s not healthy. It’s terrible. It’s terrible for you, you know what I mean? honestly, I heard him talking about people fat shaming him and all that type of stuff. You know, some people would be but I think there’s a lot of people that probably care for his health as well being, because it ain’t healthy. And I know because I’ve been in the same position.”
Dana White spoke recently about how the ups and downs of Pimblett’s weight make it difficult to plan his fights. He needs time to get back into fighting shape, and although it seems like he always does, Volkanovski thinks that keeping the weight off should be part of being a professional fighter.
“Here you are a professional athlete who’s meant to be looking after your body and be a good role model and all that type of stuff and you’re just going to let yourself do that to yourself,” Volkanovski said of himself back in the days. “Also, it’s quite embarrassing for me as well because of what I do. Again, here, I’m talking about being a professional, nutrition, and trying to push through stuff, and even supplements and sponsors, and because I believe in that stuff, and at the same time I’m being careless. I used to be a bit careless.”
Volkanovski is dialed in now and is rolling in the featherweight division. He was able to get his weight issues together and become the best, perhaps Pimblett can do the same one day.
Watch the entire interview with Alexander Volkanovski here:
