Alexander Volkanovski, in his recent world title defense, experienced a temporary loss of vision in his left eye during the second round.
At UFC 314, held at the Kaseya Center in Miami, Volkanovski, representing Australia, secured a unanimous decision victory against Diego Lopes. However, the fight presented a significant challenge when Volkanovski was struck by a powerful punch in the second round, causing him to lose sight in his left eye. Despite this, his vision returned, allowing him to continue and ultimately win the match.
Volkanovski`s victory breaks a perceived jinx that older champions over 36 cannot regain their titles. Looking ahead, he is enthusiastic about fighting again soon, possibly aiming for a return to the octagon by the end of summer and potentially a third fight before the year concludes, following a 14-month absence.
Horror Eye Injury for Alexander Volkanovski at UFC 314
In the initial rounds, Volkanovski appeared to dominate in striking. Yet, in the final moments of the second round, Lopes landed a blow that dropped Volkanovski, who had already sustained a cut. For a moment, it seemed the fight`s momentum might shift.
Fortunately, Volkanovski regained his composure, continued to dominate subsequent rounds, and earned a comfortable decision victory. Post-fight, in an interview with Fox Sports Australia, he admitted to experiencing complete blindness in his left eye when questioned about the severity of the impact.
“I completely lost vision in my left eye,” Volkanovski stated. “It was a strong hit, and then I couldn`t see anything. I was trying to recover my sight, but it was totally gone. It gradually returned, and for most of the fight, I could at least see a blur, which was somewhat helpful.”
He added, “It went from complete darkness, which made me think ‘oh s—, this is bad’, to a slight blur. That helped me gauge distance a bit better, and then it improved a little more towards the end. I couldn`t pinpoint exactly which shot caused it.”
Volkanovski Aims for Quick Return After UFC 314
Despite the serious health scare during his first fight in over a year, Volkanovski is eager to maintain an active fight schedule in 2025. When asked about fighting in September at the post-fight press conference, he suggested it was too distant and could potentially be his third fight of the year.
This comeback follows two knockout losses to Ilia Topuria and Islam Makhachev, which had raised concerns about his career. However, Volkanovski appears undeterred by long-term health worries, demonstrating an impressive return to form.
“September?” he questioned, almost surprised. “If everything is alright, I`d prefer to fight sooner, to be honest. I think that’s more likely to be my second fight. If I’m in good shape, maybe July and then September, we could possibly fit it in.”
“I mean, Movsar [Evloev], if they want to make that happen quickly and I feel ready, perhaps a quick turnaround with Movsar if my hands are okay. That was my plan, fight, fight, fight,”
Rupert Hartwell