Aussie UFC featherweight champion Alexander Volkanovski has poured fuel on the fire of cheating allegations after lightweight champion Islam Makhachev.
Makhachev has delivered his response in the wake of being labelled a cheater after his title defence against Volkanovski on Sunday.
Makhachev claimed a unanimous decision points victory in front of a sold out Perth Arena to deny Volkanovski his chance at becoming only the eighth double champion in UFC history.
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On Monday night however the fight was thrown under a cloud when New Zealand lightweight fighter Dan Hooker came out swinging on social media.
Hooker accused the Russian champion of bending UFC rules and laid the boots into the United States Anti-Doping Agency, as he challenged his followers to prove his allegations wrong.
“Dumb c**t thinks he can fly to Australia, hire a nurse to give him an IV and we won’t find out. Cheating dog,” Hooker wrote.
“USADA doing f**k all,” he said, referring to the penalties in place for intravenous saline drip use.
News Corp does not suggest that the allegations made by Hooker are substantial or true, only that they have been made.
Makhachev responded early on Tuesday morning as he took to social media with a cryptic post to his Instagram stories.
Hooker continued into the early hours of Tuesday morning, alleging “he doesn’t cheat, he doesn’t win,” before naming the Russian as the target of his expletive-laden rant.
Responding to a Twitter user who asked who he was referring to, Hooker said “Islam is a cheat.”
Hooker’s initial tweet was retweeted by Collingwood AFL legend Scott Pendlebury, saying “wow, if this is who we think it is,” and tagging podcaster and UFC colour commentator Joe Rogan.
Volkanovski stated on Twitter he believed he had won three of the five rounds and was surprised he didn’t get his hand raised after watching the fight back.
The Aussie featherweight champion doubled down on his stance when he appeared on Ariel Helwani’s MMA Hour on Tuesday.
“After watching it back I’m pretty confident and comfortable saying that I thought I won the second, third and fifth rounds,” he said.
“But it was definitely a close fight and I’m a bit upset I didn’t get my hand raised.
“They took my massive moment away from me, the bastards.”
Helwani pressed Volkanovski on how much he thought he weighed when the fight was underway with the Aussie saying he was tipping the scales at around 77 kilograms.
But it was when asked about his rivals weight that Volk had a little dig as he brought up Hooker’s claims.
“I’ve heard he gets up to like 83 kilograms or close to. You fill up pretty quick you know on the IV’s and stuff like that.
“Maybe that’s a little shot at him but you know, you hear whispers.”
Using an IV drip to rehydrate was previously commonplace in combat sports, but was banned in the UFC in October 2015 after a decision by the USADA.
USADA officials instituted the ban because IV drips can contribute to unhealthy amounts of weight-cutting, and can also be used to mask the use of some performance enhancing drugs.
UFC fighters face bans of up to two years for the use of IV drips without a medical reason, with Brazilian star Paulo Costa banned in 2019 for six months.