Alexander Volkanovski has forced Australia’s NFL superstar Jordan Mailata to tap – and breathlessly declare “what am I f***ing doing bro” – during a hilarious YouTube collaboration (watch it above).
Despite being only weeks out from his latest UFC featherweight title defence, Australia’s greatest UFC fighter also launched some body shots into the man who outweighs him by 100 kilos, and at one point even donned an American football helmet and shoulder pads.
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In the build up to last week’s historic NFL season opener in Melbourne, Volkanovski and Mailata caught up at a local gym to compete in a range of physical challenges that saw each man enter the athletic world of the other.
The unique collaboration comes as Volk isn’t only readying to defend UFC gold in the Middle East, but will this week also travel Stateside to corner new Brazilian team-mate Mauricio Ruffy at UFC 331.
Speaking with Fox Sports Australia this week, Ruffy talked up the advantages of having Volk in his corner when he challenges Arman Tsarukyan on Sunday’s Los Angeles, California card.
Elsewhere, the UFC lightweight contender also predicted Volkanovski to kayo his latest rival Movsar Evloev at UFC 333 next month.
Elsewhere, this Sunday’s card will also have a large Australian flavour, with the undercard set to feature both Tai Tuivasa and Casey O’Neill – the latter of whom also opened up this week on finally being ready to live out the potential that once saw her crowned a UFC Rookie of the Year.
Yet in an interesting aside to his own title preparations, Volk and Mailata have squared off in a variety of athletic challenges – including two punching drills, a grappling exchange, and the UFC champ even getting decked out in helmet and shoulder pads to try and ‘sack’ a quarterback.
Mailata, who plays offensive tackle for the Philadelphia Eagles, weighs almost 166kg.
Volk, meanwhile, competes at 65kg.
And while the longtime UFC favourite also stands some 30cm shorter, he not only caused Mailata to tap in one of the grappling competitions, or broke the punch machine, but also ran up around the cage in his attempt to sack a dummy QB.
“I don’t know what I’m doing here,” Mailata exclaimed at one point.
While during a challenge where Volk punched the NFL star, first as Mailata was wearing a guard, then without, the hulking footballer was heard to explain “this is the stupidest s*** I’ve done”.
Before launching a punch into his guts, Volk urged the NFL star to stay relaxed – albeit while winking at the camera.
“F*** off, bro,” Mailata replied. “I’m not doing that.
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Starting out on the punch machine, Mailata recorded a first up score of 5918.
Volk then had a go, cursing immediately that he had missed his mark.
“Wait, wait, wait,” Mailata shouted as Volk went to reset the machine. “Let’s just see what a miss looks like …”
Volkanovski: “You just know when they’re s***”
Still, he recorded 5764.
Then, well, both men went bigger from there.
At least until Volk punched the ball right off its socket.