In case you hadn’t noticed, UFC featherweight champion Alexander Volkanovski really doesn’t like Brian Ortega. The UFC 266 press conference nearly boiled over into a confrontation, with Volkanovski and Ortega exchanging heated words as Dana White kept the two separated.
It all began when Volkanovski found out about Brian Ortega’s 2014 doping violation, compounding the opinion Alexander “The Great” already held about Ortega’s lack of professionalism.
Volkanovski Slams “Drug Cheat” Ortega: “You Don’t Deserve To Be Here”
“To be honest mate, unprofessional. As I’ve said all week, unprofessional and weakness. And what upsets me the most is he’s unprofessional. I’ve put in the hard yards my whole life, especially in this career. That’s how I got this belt.
He half assed it, turns up to training late, you name it. I just see weakness. Unprofessional. Obviously showing weakness a few years back, popping for juicing! That sh*t annoys me. It’s not professional and I’m not about that sh*t.”
Volkanovski continued trashing Ortega’s drug violations. “Mate, ever since I got told you’re popped, I had no idea, ever since I got told, that’s it. I’m done. That sh*t don’t stay with me. I’m over that sh*t.”
“You been done, right. Don’t do sh*t about it, though.” replied Ortega. Attempting to return to civility, Volkanovski granted that Ortega had earned his shot at the belt.“He deserves to be here, I’ll give him that. But he ain’t taking the belt.
You don’t deserve it.” During the face off at the end of the conference, the pair exchanged heated words. Volkanovski opened the argument.
“Mate, I ain’t scared of ya! We’re going in the cage, don’t worry about it. This whole, ‘oh we’ll fight in the elevator’, all that bullsh*t. I’ll fight anywhere too.
The beauty of it is, we get to fight Saturday. I didn’t know about you popping. That sh*t don’t sit well with me. You don’t deserve to be here.
Mate, you’re a f*ckin drug cheat. That’s it. Done.”
It’s clear that their time on The Ultimate Fighter did nothing to improve Alexander Volkanovski’s relationship with Brian Ortega. Heated exchanges are nothing new in the sport of mixed martial arts, but it’s clear that the UFC 266 title fight has far more on the line than just the belt. The mutual disrespect shown between these two fighters is sure to deliver an explosive fight on Saturday night.
Who do you see emerging with the belt on Saturday, Volkanovski or Ortega? Let us know in the comments.
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