Alexander Volkanovski impressed with new model of Brian Ortega, but confident he can break him

Even with Brian Ortega‘s modern enhancements, Alexander Volkanovski thinks his strain will be way too considerably.

© Furnished by MMAJunkie

UFC featherweight winner Volkanovski (22-1 MMA, 9- UFC) will meet up with Ortega in the initially quarter of 2021, but a date is nonetheless to be official. Dana White teased a February matchup, but Volkanovski would rather see the combat pushed back a little much more so he’s in a position to get sufficient time to conduct his camp at Metropolis Kickboxing in New Zealand.

Ortega (15-1 MMA, 7-1 UFC) is coming off arguably his finest functionality nevertheless in which he shut out Chan Sung Jung and outstruck him above the course of 5 rounds in the UFC on ESPN+ 38 headliner.

The win repositioned Ortega into title rivalry and caught the champion’s attention.

“It took me by shock due to the fact I did not anticipate him to fight – I would not say combat good, but his shot collection, there was a few of items that I just did not hope,” Volkanovski informed SCMP MMA. “I believed he would just be hunting for the finish, which is what he does.

“But there, he showed persistence, shot choice, fakes – a whole lot of factors that we get the job done on. Regardless of whether he took some notes out of our guide, I do not know, but he’s obviously stepped it up and he appeared good. He genuinely did glimpse excellent.”

Even so, in spite of Volkanovski getting amazed with Ortega’s breakthroughs, he continues to be unfazed. He sees a related activity system that Max Holloway was capable to employ when he battered Ortega in 2018 as a blueprint that will operate.

“I consider I’m likely to crack him,” Volkanovski mentioned. “The way that Max did, I believe which is somewhere that I can go with – in particular with my pressuring design and style. This is a pleasurable combat for me simply because I feel I get to place the strain on. I get to be in his confront, which is exciting. Folks want to see that.

“There’s concentrations to this, and I believe that my strain, when I use it, my pressure’s on a entire other amount that not lots of people today in the planet have ever felt.”

Volkanovski is coming off back again-to-back wins over Holloway and has reported on quite a few situations that he’s fired up to choose on a new problem in the featherweight division. He acknowledges Ortega is hazardous in all places, but is not worried to dabble on the floor with the jiu-jitsu ace if needed.

“It’s fascinating for me, but at the exact time, I truly do imagine I’m just at a whole other stage,” Volkanovski stated. “I’m so perfectly-rounded. I can choose the fight where ever it is. I’m the dude that never quits. With me, it is so straightforward to say I’m effectively-rounded, but it goes so a great deal deeper than that. There are so several little points that I just have down to a tee, and I perform so tricky to make positive that I am this sort of a comprehensive fighter that if another person gives me hassle someplace, I can normally get it someplace else.

“Even if I have to go to the ground with Ortega … I really do not need to fear about him getting me down. We’ll see. Naturally, I can’t give much too much away, but if I want to get an individual down, I can. Am I likely to have a BJJ match with him in the center of a UFC battle? No. But once more, I’m a extremely good fighter. There’s diverse principles to just on the BJJ mats. We can punch you on the face. We have acquired a cage. There is a ton of hurdles in an MMA cage, particularly when you can use your palms and elbows and whatnot.”

Extra:

Michael Chandler phone calls Dan Hooker his hardest matchup, but wasn’t on ‘radar’ prior to UFC 257 booking

Curtis Blaydes vs. Derrick Lewis focused for UFC Fight Night headliner on Feb. 20

Kamaru Usman vs. Gilbert Burns UFC welterweight title struggle on tap (once more) for Feb. 13

Dana White warns unlawful streamers of Conor McGregor’s UFC 257 comeback

Prospect Ilia Topuria articles with 2020 breakthrough, aims to obstacle for UFC title in 2022