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https://www.foxsports.com.au/ufc/uf...e/news-story/fadc8a967ec3547ea303ef71f4251a47
Not sure if already been posted.
Alexander Volkanovski’s decision to fight for the UFC lightweight title on 11 days notice has seen him rewarded with a huge new contract deal which, his agent says, now makes him one the highest paid fighters not named Conor McGregor.
Already regarded by many as the No.1 fighter on the UFC roster, Volkanovski has again gone and confirmed his greatness by agreeing to rematch lightweight king Islam Makhachev at UFC 294 on Sunday week.
Should the Wollongong fighter win in his second attempt to become a two-division champion, it can be revealed he will continue to fight in the lightweight division, defending that strap ahead of his UFC featherweight crown.
Speaking with Fox Sports Australia, Volkanovski’s manager Ash Belcastro also revealed the Aussie superstar had this week become one the highest paid fighters in the UFC – having signed off on a bumper new contract after accepting the Abu Dhabi showdown.
While initially expecting to be out of action until next January, the Aussie superstar has been parachuted in to save UFC 294 as a late replacement for Brazilian Charles Oliveira, who was ruled out after being seriously cut during a sparring session.
UFC president Dana White revealed on Wednesday that Oliveira had split his eyebrow “wide open” during a training mishap and, after being forced to withdraw from the title fight, had been replaced by Volkanovski -- who needed only one phone call to step in.
All of which means the UFC featherweight champ has now been given a second shot at becoming a two-division king, having previously faced Makhachev at UFC 284 in Perth, back in February.
Yet when called this week, the fighter agreed almost immediately to the rematch, despite having only returned home from a family holiday two days earlier.
Volkanovski is also only recently recovered from elbow surgery, but will now jet out for Abu Dhabi on Sunday.
As a result, UFC boss White has signed the superstar to an exciting new contract that, according to his management team, now puts him up among the highest paid fighters in the company.
Yet just as importantly, a win over Makhachev on such short notice now gives The Great a chance to confirm his legacy, indefinitely.
“Because if Volk gets off the couch and puts Makhachev away,” Belcastro said, “well, you have to ask ‘how good is he?’.”
And as for the new UFC deal earned by his willingness to throw down?
“As far as featherweights are concerned, he was already the highest paid fighter ever outside Conor McGregor.
“But this new deal, it puts him in a great position to look after his family and even beyond that.”
Asked what happens if Volkanovski owns both the UFC featherweight and lightweight titles after Sunday week, Belcastro said: “If we fight and win we stay at lightweight”.
When announcing the fight on Wednesday, White heaped praised on not only the fight readiness of Volkanovski but his entire team – which includes the likes of Israel Adesanya, Dan Hooker and Kai Kara-France.
“And (staying ready) has been a recipe for success for us as a team,” Belcastro agreed.
“We tell our athletes to stay consistent, always fight.
“With the beast of the UFC and their PR, the momentum they get … athletes have the opportunity to grow with that and build a brand.
“Which is what we’ve done.
“There is no better way to be relevant than stay in the gym and keep fighting.
“Everything else seems to follow consistency.”
“Alex has been very well compensated,” Belcastro told Fox Sports Australia shortly after the deal was signed off.
“We’ve signed a great new agreement – not just for this fight but beyond -- and Volk is now at the top echelon of UFC athletes (in terms of pay).
“It’s not just money, either. There is a whole lot more around it and he has been given some really good guarantees.
“Typically in fight sports, the heavier you are the more you get paid.
“But with Alex, as a featherweight … he’s doing really well.
Asked about Volkanovski’s decision to fight, his manager continued: “He’s a gamer.
Not sure if already been posted.
Alexander Volkanovski’s decision to fight for the UFC lightweight title on 11 days notice has seen him rewarded with a huge new contract deal which, his agent says, now makes him one the highest paid fighters not named Conor McGregor.
Already regarded by many as the No.1 fighter on the UFC roster, Volkanovski has again gone and confirmed his greatness by agreeing to rematch lightweight king Islam Makhachev at UFC 294 on Sunday week.
Should the Wollongong fighter win in his second attempt to become a two-division champion, it can be revealed he will continue to fight in the lightweight division, defending that strap ahead of his UFC featherweight crown.
Speaking with Fox Sports Australia, Volkanovski’s manager Ash Belcastro also revealed the Aussie superstar had this week become one the highest paid fighters in the UFC – having signed off on a bumper new contract after accepting the Abu Dhabi showdown.
While initially expecting to be out of action until next January, the Aussie superstar has been parachuted in to save UFC 294 as a late replacement for Brazilian Charles Oliveira, who was ruled out after being seriously cut during a sparring session.
UFC president Dana White revealed on Wednesday that Oliveira had split his eyebrow “wide open” during a training mishap and, after being forced to withdraw from the title fight, had been replaced by Volkanovski -- who needed only one phone call to step in.
All of which means the UFC featherweight champ has now been given a second shot at becoming a two-division king, having previously faced Makhachev at UFC 284 in Perth, back in February.
Yet when called this week, the fighter agreed almost immediately to the rematch, despite having only returned home from a family holiday two days earlier.
Volkanovski is also only recently recovered from elbow surgery, but will now jet out for Abu Dhabi on Sunday.
As a result, UFC boss White has signed the superstar to an exciting new contract that, according to his management team, now puts him up among the highest paid fighters in the company.
Yet just as importantly, a win over Makhachev on such short notice now gives The Great a chance to confirm his legacy, indefinitely.
“Because if Volk gets off the couch and puts Makhachev away,” Belcastro said, “well, you have to ask ‘how good is he?’.”
And as for the new UFC deal earned by his willingness to throw down?
“As far as featherweights are concerned, he was already the highest paid fighter ever outside Conor McGregor.
“But this new deal, it puts him in a great position to look after his family and even beyond that.”
Asked what happens if Volkanovski owns both the UFC featherweight and lightweight titles after Sunday week, Belcastro said: “If we fight and win we stay at lightweight”.
When announcing the fight on Wednesday, White heaped praised on not only the fight readiness of Volkanovski but his entire team – which includes the likes of Israel Adesanya, Dan Hooker and Kai Kara-France.
“And (staying ready) has been a recipe for success for us as a team,” Belcastro agreed.
“We tell our athletes to stay consistent, always fight.
“With the beast of the UFC and their PR, the momentum they get … athletes have the opportunity to grow with that and build a brand.
“Which is what we’ve done.
“There is no better way to be relevant than stay in the gym and keep fighting.
“Everything else seems to follow consistency.”
“Alex has been very well compensated,” Belcastro told Fox Sports Australia shortly after the deal was signed off.
“We’ve signed a great new agreement – not just for this fight but beyond -- and Volk is now at the top echelon of UFC athletes (in terms of pay).
“It’s not just money, either. There is a whole lot more around it and he has been given some really good guarantees.
“Typically in fight sports, the heavier you are the more you get paid.
“But with Alex, as a featherweight … he’s doing really well.
Asked about Volkanovski’s decision to fight, his manager continued: “He’s a gamer.
