Preparing Alexander Volkanovski for Max Holloway taught me how to be a UFC champion – now I’ve got biggest fight of my life
Alan Philpott left Alexander Volkanovski’s camp thinking, ‘F***, do I have what it takes to get to that?’ Now, the Northern Irishman has the opportunity to prove he has exactly that when he returns to his homeland for PFL Belfast on Saturday night. Philpott has the opportunity to show he has what it takes at PFL Belfast this SaturdayPFL The Northern Irishman trained Volkanovski for his rematch with Max HollowayGetty Images - Getty Philpott, 32, is taking on Manchester’s Lewis McGrillen in the co-main event of the Belfast card, which starts the PFL’s 2025 European season’s proceedings. They will lock horns in the SmartCage before Paul Hughes makes his highly anticipated homecoming against Bruno Miranda in the main event. Philpott has plenty of experience under his belt, having competed professionally 37 times in the sport, winning 21 of those bouts. He has held titles in various regional promotions, but it was his time spent with UFC featherweight champion Volkanovski that arguably made the biggest impact for his career. “The biggest thing for me to take away from all of that was obviously the skill, [but also] how humble Alex was himself.” Philpott told talkSPORT.com. “It’s amazing to see [those at] the top level.” The Northern Irishman had just prepared UFC Volkanovski for massive his rematch with Max Holloway in July 2020. ‘The Great’ won the belt for the first time by defeating Holloway at UFC 245 in December 2019. Seven months later, he naturally awarded Holloway his rematch and never looked back. It was during COVID-19 when Philpott was travelling around Australia when himself, alongside fellow MMA fighters, were training with Volkanovski twice a day in a rented-out holiday home near the latter’s residence in Sydney. PFL / GettyPhilpott told talkSPORT it was inspiring to train with Volkanovski[/caption] “That little one per cent and what it takes to get over the line, that was what the difference was that I noticed between him and what others are doing,” Philpott added. “They’re doing the stuff that other people don’t want to do. That was the biggest thing and that was the motivation. “Six weeks he had to prepare for that and what he’d done in those six weeks was phenomenal. “It was very inspiring. I remember [saying], ‘That’s what it is, that’s what it takes, we’re going to have to step up a bit here if we want to go any further.'” After he defeated Holloway in their rematch, Volkanovski went on to defend his featherweight strap four more times to cement himself as one of the greatest to ever do it at 145lbs. “It was mad,” Philpott continued. “We were thinking, ‘F*** this is crazy. But at the same time, he never made it feel like that. It never felt like we were just there to help him. Volkanovski became a two-time champion at UFC 314Getty The Australian defeated Diego Lopes to cement his name as an all-time UFC greatGetty “Because of how nice and respectful he was, we just wanted to make sure that whatever we could do for him, we could do. “It was an amazing experience. I’ve trained with many top fighters…like I said, the skill level is obviously good, but there’s more to [the] work ethic, and that was the biggest thing I took away from all of it.” Volkanovski returned to action last month, outpointing Brazil’s Diego Lopes in the main event of UFC 314 to become a two-time champion. He was fresh off two nasty knockout defeats to UFC lightweight champion Islam Makhachev and Ilia Topuria, who won the featherweight title from Volkanovski and defended it against Holloway before vacating it. The 36-year-old admitted his time in the sport was limited in the buildup to UFC 314, while Philpott is approaching his fight with McGrillen like things are only getting started. “For me, the reality was is, I never expected to get an opportunity like this,” he concluded. “My record’s not the best, as much as I’m a good fighter I’ve had a couple of upsets and made some silly choices through the years. “I’m not old, I feel I’m in my peak, but I’m older. I just wasn’t expecting it, being in Australia and stuff too. “The fact that he’s basically the king of the band in the Europe division, he went in there and won the tournament, knocked both of the boys out. “But [I have] all the confidence in the world that I’m going to be the one that goes out and beat him. “I’m going to show how there’s levels to this. I do truly believe that I’m a different level. My fight IQ is so much better than his.” McGrillen defeated Dean Garnett in Glasgow last September in a wild Fight of the Year contender that witnessed 14 knockdowns. McGrillen is one of the hottest British MMA prospects right nowJose Peñuela / PFL Europe 3 ‘Big News’ Hughes takes on Bruno Miranda in the main event of PFL Belfast on May 10PFL Europe He then knocked out Alexander Luster to win the P
Alan Philpott left Alexander Volkanovski’s camp thinking, ‘F***, do I have what it takes to get to that?’
Now, the Northern Irishman has the opportunity to prove he has exactly that when he returns to his homeland for PFL Belfast on Saturday night.
Philpott, 32, is taking on Manchester’s Lewis McGrillen in the co-main event of the Belfast card, which starts the PFL’s 2025 European season’s proceedings.
They will lock horns in the SmartCage before Paul Hughes makes his highly anticipated homecoming against Bruno Miranda in the main event.
Philpott has plenty of experience under his belt, having competed professionally 37 times in the sport, winning 21 of those bouts.
He has held titles in various regional promotions, but it was his time spent with UFC featherweight champion Volkanovski that arguably made the biggest impact for his career.
“The biggest thing for me to take away from all of that was obviously the skill, [but also] how humble Alex was himself.” Philpott told talkSPORT.com.
“It’s amazing to see [those at] the top level.”
The Northern Irishman had just prepared UFC Volkanovski for massive his rematch with Max Holloway in July 2020.
‘The Great’ won the belt for the first time by defeating Holloway at UFC 245 in December 2019.
Seven months later, he naturally awarded Holloway his rematch and never looked back.
It was during COVID-19 when Philpott was travelling around Australia when himself, alongside fellow MMA fighters, were training with Volkanovski twice a day in a rented-out holiday home near the latter’s residence in Sydney.
“That little one per cent and what it takes to get over the line, that was what the difference was that I noticed between him and what others are doing,” Philpott added.
“They’re doing the stuff that other people don’t want to do. That was the biggest thing and that was the motivation.
“Six weeks he had to prepare for that and what he’d done in those six weeks was phenomenal.
“It was very inspiring. I remember [saying], ‘That’s what it is, that’s what it takes, we’re going to have to step up a bit here if we want to go any further.'”
After he defeated Holloway in their rematch, Volkanovski went on to defend his featherweight strap four more times to cement himself as one of the greatest to ever do it at 145lbs.
“It was mad,” Philpott continued. “We were thinking, ‘F*** this is crazy. But at the same time, he never made it feel like that. It never felt like we were just there to help him.
“Because of how nice and respectful he was, we just wanted to make sure that whatever we could do for him, we could do.
“It was an amazing experience. I’ve trained with many top fighters…like I said, the skill level is obviously good, but there’s more to [the] work ethic, and that was the biggest thing I took away from all of it.”
Volkanovski returned to action last month, outpointing Brazil’s Diego Lopes in the main event of UFC 314 to become a two-time champion.
He was fresh off two nasty knockout defeats to UFC lightweight champion Islam Makhachev and Ilia Topuria, who won the featherweight title from Volkanovski and defended it against Holloway before vacating it.
The 36-year-old admitted his time in the sport was limited in the buildup to UFC 314, while Philpott is approaching his fight with McGrillen like things are only getting started.
“For me, the reality was is, I never expected to get an opportunity like this,” he concluded.
“My record’s not the best, as much as I’m a good fighter I’ve had a couple of upsets and made some silly choices through the years.
“I’m not old, I feel I’m in my peak, but I’m older. I just wasn’t expecting it, being in Australia and stuff too.
“The fact that he’s basically the king of the band in the Europe division, he went in there and won the tournament, knocked both of the boys out.
“But [I have] all the confidence in the world that I’m going to be the one that goes out and beat him.
“I’m going to show how there’s levels to this. I do truly believe that I’m a different level. My fight IQ is so much better than his.”
McGrillen defeated Dean Garnett in Glasgow last September in a wild Fight of the Year contender that witnessed 14 knockdowns.
He then knocked out Alexander Luster to win the PFL Europe bantamweight title in Lyon, France, and earned a hefty $100,00 (£75,000) in the process.
Elsewhere at PFL Belfast, Briton Haider Khan makes his second appearance for the promotion against Ireland’s Sean McCormac.
Meanwhile, Sammy-Jo Luxton, who was diagnosed with sepsis in 2024 after the passing of her father, makes her highly anticipated PFL debut against Scotland’s Gemma Auld.
