Alexander Volkanovski shrugged off Ilia Topuria’s attempts to put him out of his balance at the UFC 298 pre-fight press conference, and not just because he sported an appearance that could suggest he needed hearing aids.
Capitalizing on the narrative of age catching up, Volkanovski made a comical entrance in Anaheim, California, dressing like his grandfather with a cardigan, a chain dangling from bifocal glasses, and a newsboy cap.
Volkanovski to Topuria: “Get your hands off my belt.”
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In good spirits, Volkanovski aimed to inject some humor into the situation after enduring weeks of questions about his validity as a champion at the age of 35, a perceived threshold for success in smaller weight classes.
“Just having a bit of fun with it. You’ve got to do it, for the people as well. Everyone appreciated the outfit, so I wanted to do it in person.”
Despite the playful atmosphere, Ilia Topuria was focused on business, and was met with a barrage of boos from the audience, prompting him to lash out at the crowd before redirecting his attention to elder Volkanovski.
“Shut the f*** up! Shut up,” Topuria shouted. “You…
