Alexander Volkanovski Details the Painful Weight-Cut UFC Fans Never See

Originally posted on Total Pro Sports | By Pavan Sharma | Last updated Jan 22, 2026 1:00 PM ET

Alexander Volkanovski (Image Credit: Getty Images)

Weight cuts are one of the toughest parts of MMA, and many UFC fighters end up changing weight classes because the process is so brutal. Recently, UFC veteran Alexander Volkanovski opened up about how hard it is for him, revealing that he cuts 7–8 kg before every fight.

Volkanovski is set to defend his featherweight title against Diego Lopes at UFC 325. Ahead of the fight, “The Great” admitted that the weight cut is harder than the fight itself. Speaking to FOX Sports Australia, he said:

“To get yourself ready for 25 minutes, you deal with so much pain and everything, it isn’t easy. I’ll do anywhere from 7 kg to 8 kg in a fight week. Five liters of sweat I need to shed from the night before.”

Alexander Volkanovski goes through a brutal 7–8 kg weight cut before every fight ️‍♂️

“The weight cut is hard, the whole thing is hard. When you hear people talk about fighting, they say the easy part is fighting, but fighting is very hard – it’s only 25 minutes of it. To get… pic.twitter.com/5Jr4r6TW8L
— Red Corner MMA (@RedCorner_MMA) January 22, 2026

Meanwhile, the featherweight champion is now 37 years old, and fans thought he might retire after winning the belt. Still, he says he wants to keep giving fans exciting fights and is ready to go to war against Lopes at UFC 325.

Tom Aspinall Wants Alexander Volkanovski To Retire After 325

Alexander Volkanovski (Photo By Imagn Images)

Some fans were unhappy that Diego Lopes was given another title shot, even though it was a rematch. Volkanovski beat Lopes in their first fight at UFC 314 and is aiming to finish the rematch much faster this time. However, concerns about Volkanovski’s age continue.

UFC heavyweight champion Tom Aspinall, a big fan of Volkanovski, recently said he hopes the featherweight champ retires after this fight. In a video, Aspinall said, “I hope he does retire. I’m the biggest Volk fan, I want him to retire if he wins this one. Leave it.”

Tom Aspinall hopes Alexander Volkanovski retires after his rematch with Diego Lopes

(Via @AspinallMMA) pic.twitter.com/x8aGT9fbla
— Red Corner MMA (@RedCorner_MMA) January 5, 2026

While Volkanovski won the first fight, many fans believe Lopes has improved a lot since then and could cause problems this time. One thing is certain: the MMA world will be watching this fight very closely at UFC 325.

This article first appeared on Total Pro Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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