UFC light-weight champion Islam Makhachev has delivered his response within the wake of being labelled a cheater after his title defence towards Alexander Volkanovski.
Makhachev claimed a unanimous determination factors victory in entrance of a bought out Perth Enviornment to disclaim Volkanovski his likelihood at turning into solely the eighth double champion in UFC historical past.
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On Monday night time nevertheless the battle was thrown below a cloud when New Zealand light-weight fighter Dan Hooker got here out swinging on social media.
Hooker accused the Russian champion of bending UFC guidelines and laid the boots into america Anti-Doping Company, as he challenged his followers to show his allegations fallacious.
“Dumb c**t thinks he can fly to Australia, rent a nurse to offer him an IV and we received’t discover out. Dishonest canine,” Hooker wrote.
“USADA doing f**okay all,” he stated, referring to the penalties in place for intravenous saline drip use.
Information Corp doesn’t recommend that the allegations made by Hooker are substantial or true, solely that they’ve been made.
Makhachev responded early on Tuesday morning as he took to social media with a cryptic publish to his Instagram tales.
Hooker continued into the early hours of Tuesday morning, alleging “he doesn’t cheat, he doesn’t win,” earlier than naming the Russian because the goal of his expletive-laden rant.
Responding to a Twitter consumer who requested who he was referring to, Hooker stated “Islam is a cheat.”
Hooker’s preliminary tweet was retweeted by Collingwood AFL legend Scott Pendlebury, saying “wow, if that is who we expect it’s,” and tagging podcaster and UFC color commentator Joe Rogan.
Volkanovski said on Twitter he believed he had received three of the 5 rounds and was stunned he didn’t get his hand raised after watching the battle again.
The Aussie featherweight champion doubled down on his stance when he appeared on Ariel Helwani’s MMA Hour on Tuesday.
“After watching it again I’m fairly assured and cozy saying that I believed I received the second, third and fifth rounds,” he stated.
“However it was undoubtedly an in depth battle and I’m a bit upset I didn’t get my hand raised.
“They took my large second away from me, the bastards.”
Helwani pressed Volkanovski on how a lot he thought he weighed when the battle was underway with the Aussie saying he was tipping the scales at round 77 kilograms.
However it was when requested about his rivals weight that Volk had somewhat dig as he introduced up Hooker’s claims.
“I’ve heard he will get as much as like 83 kilograms or near. You replenish fairly fast you realize on the IV’s and stuff like that.
“Perhaps that’s somewhat shot at him however you realize, you hear whispers.”
Utilizing an IV drip to rehydrate was beforehand commonplace in fight sports activities, however was banned within the UFC in October 2015 after a choice by the USADA.
USADA officers instituted the ban as a result of IV drips can contribute to unhealthy quantities of weight-cutting, and can be used to masks using some efficiency enhancing medicine.
UFC fighters face bans of as much as two years for using IV drips and not using a medical purpose, with Brazilian star Paulo Costa banned in 2019 for six months.
