JRE MMA Show #93 with Alexander Volkanovski

Alexander Volkanovski (0:00)

To love, no? Okay.

Joe Rogan (0:00)

No, here we go. Three, two, one.

The champ is here. How are you, sir?

Alexander Volkanovski (0:06)

I'm good, I'm good, how are you?

Joe Rogan (0:07)

Pull this sucker up about like a...

Alexander Volkanovski (0:08)

Bit closer?

Joe Rogan (0:09)

Yeah, like a fist from your face.

Alexander Volkanovski (0:10)

All right, is that good?

Joe Rogan (0:11)

Good to see you, brother. What's happening?

Alexander Volkanovski (0:12)

Oh, not for much, mate. Not for much, just...

Joe Rogan (0:14)

Has it settled in that you're the champ? Oh, yeah. Does it still feel real, or is it?

Alexander Volkanovski (0:18)

Yeah, yeah, it's settled in, you know what I mean? Like, it's weird, it's hard to explain. Like, I'm the type of person that, you know, as soon as I'm home, I'm daddy, I'm the regular bloke that everyone knew me 10 years ago. But at the same time, obviously, you got, you know, the media obligations and everything that needs to be done.

So it's, you know, it is different. You're gonna get recognized a little bit more on the street.

Joe Rogan (0:37)

What is it like in Australia now? Do people get excited to see you now?

Alexander Volkanovski (0:40)

Yeah, yeah, Australia, you know, obviously, that's where I'm from, so that's a, you know, the supports are big, especially where I'm locally. Like, you know, every time I fight, literally, our city stops, you know, just to watch the fight.

Wollongong.

Joe Rogan (0:54)

Say it again?

Alexander Volkanovski (0:55)

Wollongong.

Joe Rogan (0:56)

Wollongong?

Alexander Volkanovski (0:57)

The gong.

Yeah, we call it the gong. Just south of Sydney.

Joe Rogan (1:00)

Oh, okay, so you're close? So you go to Sydney when you want to get crazy?

Alexander Volkanovski (1:04)

Yeah, yeah, I'm day, you know, not really. I don't do too much partying and that, except for a couple of days ago when we were in Vegas. So Vegas got me, got me good.

Joe Rogan (1:15)

Did it get you after Izzy won?

Alexander Volkanovski (1:17)

Got me before and after. So yeah, I mean, I'm on real struggle street, but we're good.

Joe Rogan (1:22)

Well, we'll get you some water. We got water here.

We need electrolytes.

Alexander Volkanovski (1:26)

Oh, yeah.

Joe Rogan (1:26)

We got some, bring in some of those liquid IVs. Just bring the whole box of it in there.

Yeah, liquid IV is great. Have you ever tried that shit?

Alexander Volkanovski (1:35)

Mm-mm.

Joe Rogan (1:35)

It's good, it's real good. All right.

It hydrates you twice as fast as regular water alone. It actually tastes good, salt, electrolytes, all kinds of shit in it.

Alexander Volkanovski (1:44)

All right, and then we got this coffee, turmeric coffee?

Joe Rogan (1:46)

Yeah, the Laird Hamilton Superfood Coffee. Yeah, I'm addicted to these little, I'm addicted to the coffee, but I'm addicted to these fucking.

Alexander Volkanovski (1:53)

All right, here we go, look at that.

Joe Rogan (1:55)

Rip one of them bad boys. Chuck it in your water.

Alexander Volkanovski (1:57)

Well, yeah, well now we're, gotta do that, I guess.

Joe Rogan (2:00)

So, you know, I mean, there's becoming the champ and then there's becoming the champ the way you did.

Alexander Volkanovski (2:05)

Yep.

Joe Rogan (2:05)

Because you beat the consensus, greatest featherweight of all time, in his prime, you know?

Alexander Volkanovski (2:10)

Yep.

Joe Rogan (2:11)

That's a big deal, my friend.

Alexander Volkanovski (2:13)

Yeah, exactly right. You know, it was huge, you know, huge for me. Obviously, I love being the underdog as well. You know, I have been in my last free fights and I love sort of proving the doubters wrong, you know what I mean? And then obviously again, to beat him like I did as well, to outfight him, outstrike him, and stuff like that. Again, he's a great champion, nothing but respect to him. But for me to go out there and do it like that, you know, that's something I'm very proud of.

Joe Rogan (2:37)

Oh, you should be. You should be proud of your whole run, man. I mean, you haven't been in the UFC that long.

Alexander Volkanovski (2:41)

Yep.

Joe Rogan (2:41)

It was, you know, I mean, how many years you been in there now? Less than two.

Alexander Volkanovski (2:45)

I think it's two and a bit, or close to three.

Joe Rogan (2:48)

Oh, is it?

Alexander Volkanovski (2:49)

Okay, yeah, yeah. Close to three, yeah, but.

Joe Rogan (2:51)

It feels like, well, since the Chad Mendes fight, that's when people started really paying attention.

Alexander Volkanovski (2:55)