UFC champion Alexander Volkanovski reveals key to beating Ilia Topuria

Originally posted on MMA on SI | By Zain Bando | Last updated Jul 6, 2025 2:52 PM ET

(Cooper Neill/Zuffa LLC)

Alexander Volkanovski has had over a year to reflect on his knockout loss to Ilia Topuria, finally breaking his silence about what he would have done differently if it were to be replayed.

Volkanovski lost his UFC Featherweight Championship before regaining it 14 months later after Topuria opted to move to the lightweight division, winning the vacant title in the main event of UFC 317 against Charles Oliveira to cap off International Fight Week.

A Topuria rematch seems too far out to suggest it may happen, but Volkanovski has peeled back the curtain with key advice to upset the Georgian, thus ending his unbeaten run in the process.

Alexander Volkanovski Sends Message To Future Topuria Opponents

"Wrestle the bloke, mate," Volkanovski said on the FLAGRANT podcast.

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It isn't the only tip Volkanovski has, but it's certainly one to possibly dictate the pace during the rest of the fight if opponents aren't careful.

Topuria-Oliveira Was One-Sided: Volkanovski Weighs-In

Against Oliveira, Topuria won the fight with a devastating, now-viral KO showcasing Oliveira's chin getting exposed. Volkanovski said a glaring issue cost Oliveira an opportunity to have a fighting chance at an upset win.

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"We want to see the gas tank, see what happens there because I thought Charles when he was taking him down, and forcing the wrestle and the grapple, I felt like it was starting to wear on him a little bit," Volkanovski said.

Had Oliveira utilized his wrestling a bit more, it may have been a different fight from Volkanovski's perspective.

"He waited like, I'm going to wait 30 seconds, kick his legs, get my breath back because that probably took a little bit out of him, which I thought was clever," Volkanovski said. "You want to catch him coming in because he wants to commit as well, but there's that danger of him landing as well."

At the end of the day, no one has figured out the master gameplan to beat Topuria. If anyone does, it will certainly signal a new era while proving "El Metador" is anything but invincible.