Alexander Volkanovski has made a name for himself as one of the best MMA fighters ever to grace the Octagon. A former #1 P4P fighter, and one of the most dominant featherweights of all time, Volkanovski has impressed fans far and wide throughout his career. That said, the Australian also happens to be just as good at fighting as he is at numerous other things.
For those unaware, Alexander Volkanovski is the former UFC featherweight champion. Owing to a shock loss at the hands of Ilia Topuria at UFC 298 earlier this year, the Aussie is taking some much-needed time off from the sport. In his time recuperating and getting back to a good place physically and mentally, he has been dabbling in numerous ‘side-quests’ as well.
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Whilst many may be aware of his past days as a rugby player, Volk has also shown his affinity for cooking, often preparing and presenting some delectable dishes on his YouTube channel. In recent times, Alex has also been spotted courtside for some basketball games and most notably, recently revealed his interest in driving and motorsports thanks to his associations with Formula 1 driver Daniel Ricciardo.
Alexander Volkanovski’s budding friendship with F1 ace Daniel Ricciardo
For those unaware, Daniel Ricciardo is an eight-time race winner in Formula 1. One of the most highly-touted talents in the sport, Ricciardo has made a name for himself over the years under HRT Racing, followed by Red Bull Racing. Currently, the 34-year-old competes under the sister team of Red Bull racing, ‘Visa Cash App RB Formula One Team’. That said, his Australian roots have led to a budding friendship with former UFC champ Alexander Volkanovski as well.
Previously, Ricciardo graciously invited Volkanovski and a couple of others to be a part of his pit crew at F1 Melbourne earlier this year. Whilst the two had been exchanging messages across social media prior to that, this was quite possibly their first meeting. Notably, Alexander Volkanovski had also imparted some wisdom for the F1 driver ahead of the race as well.
“So what you do is, when you’re coming around the corner, you want to brake as late as you can. Not too late as you slide out when you’re turning, but just before. You want to slow down as late as you can get that extra second we going to curl around then get that extra speed. You will make some time on that. That’s a couple of tips from the bum.”
At the time, Ricciardo, seemingly impressed by Volkanovski‘s knowledge and awareness replied that he would surely credit him after putting his advice to use at the Melbourne race. Unfortunately, it was not to be for Ricciardo on the day as he came in at 12th place, with Carlos Sainz Jr., Charles Leclerc, and Lando Norris taking the top berths. Regardless the exchange between Alex and Daniel was a largely fruitful one.
Alexander Volkanovski’s recent appearance at Top Gear Australia
As mentioned previously, Alexander Volkanovski has already been a competitor in another sport. Prior to his transition to MMA, Volk was in a semi-pro rugby league South Coast Rugby League, for the Warilla Gorillas team. Over the years, Alex had numerous achievements under his belt, raking in individual records whilst helping his team to a premiership as well in 2011. That said, he eventually chose to follow his passion for MMA at the age of 23.
However, as it turns out, rugby is not the only sport that Volk takes a great interest in. As his interactions with Daniel Ricciardo have revealed, the UFC man also has a great interest in motorsports. Recently, ‘The Great’ appeared on Top Gear Australia as he took a spin through their track in a time-bound challenge.
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“Danny Ricciardo gave me a few tips, you know what I mean?”
All things considered, Alexander Volkanovski seems to be in a much better place mentally. Following the short-notice loss to Islam Makhachev at UFC 294 last year, the fighter revealed the battle with his inner demons whilst having to sit out of action. Now, he seems to be healthier and following his passions, presumably before returning to action later this year.