Jacob Volkmann: ‘I’ve Got a New Enemy’
Jacob Volkmann made headlines in 2011 for criticizing President Barack Obama, but he’s found a new target ahead of his bout Saturday against Paul Sass at UFC 146.
“I’ve got a new enemy in mind right now,” Volkmann told the Sherdog Radio Network’s “Beatdown” show.
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“I’ve got five wins in a row now and I still don’t even have a top-20 [opponent],” Volkmann said. “You can go from there. I’ve never had a top-20 guy yet.”
Volkmann dropped his first two bouts in the UFC, but he won the
next five, all via decision. He thinks his style, however, has hurt
him when it comes to moving up the promotion’s ranks.
“They don’t like my style, the more technical kind of ground game,” Volkmann said. “I haven’t finished a fight, too. That’s another thing that has to do with me not getting a top-10 [opponent].”
Volkmann’s fight against Sass is scheduled for the preliminary card. He said no one from the UFC has approached him directly to discuss his style, but he’s certain the way he wins is why he’s on the undercard.
“Dana White, I think it was before [I fought] Efrain Escudero, he said in the back before the fight started, after the weigh-ins, he was saying the people that are on the main card are there for a reason: because they finish fights,” Volkmann said. “It’s pretty much well known why people are on the main card.”
With that said, Volkmann actually understands the UFC’s reasoning.
“I think it sucks, but it’s kind of fair because they’ve got to pay their bills too,” he said. “They’ve got to make the crowd excited. The people that pay for the pay-per-views, they want to try to keep them coming back and throwing what they think are the most exciting fights.”
Of course, Volkmann could change and make his style more entertaining for fans, but he doesn’t plan on it.
“I’m not going to try to cater to them because what I’m doing is winning,” he said. “I’m going to stick to what works for me. I’m a wrestler. I’m going to take the guy down and I’m going to try to submit him. That’s my strength, and I’m going to stick with that.”
As a consequence, he realizes a loss to Sass could cost him his job in the UFC. That means he needs to make his five-fight win streak a six-fight win streak, or he might have to find another promotion to compete in.
“If I lose, I’m pretty sure they’ll cut me, to be honest,” Volkmann said. “They don’t like my style.”
Listen to the full interview (beginning at 13:03).
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