UFC featherweight legend Alex Volkanovski turned heads and lifted spirits on Saturday at Bondi Beach by picking up a $23,000 bar tab – as crowds of fans lined up for a photo with the MMA star.
The Australian fighter, who will be back in the Octagon again at UFC 314 in April, put down $23,000 for food and drinks at Hotel Ravesis – with the help of Tyro Payments.
Hundreds gathered at the iconic location to meet the former champ as music played throughout the afternoon.
Volkanovski has been named as Tyro Payments ‘Chief Tap Out Officer’ in Tyro’s Big Buyout campaign which is aimed at giving Australian businesses a helping hand.
‘I am incredibly fortunate to have had the support to get my businesses off the ground, and I know how tough it is for others. I’m thrilled to be able to help Aussie businesses thanks to Tyro and give back to the public who have supported me throughout my career,’ he said.
‘It was amazing to see the smiles on everyone’s faces today. This is what it’s all about – supporting the small businesses champions at the heart of our communities and having a blast while doing it.’
Alex Volkanovski lifted spirits on Saturday at Bondi Beach by picking up a $23,000 bar tab
Volkanovski welcomed hundreds of fans to iconic hotspot Ravesis
Aussies were stoked for the free food and drinks – and to get to meet arguably the greatest UFC featherweight ever
Last week, the MMA world was stunned by the news that featherweight champion Ilia Topuria was vacating his belt and that Volkanovski and contender Diego Lopes will fight for the title at UFC 314.
‘I just found out it was Lopes not that long ago,’ Volkanovski said shortly after the announcement on his YouTube channel.
‘We always knew it was going to be April for the belt, we just weren’t exactly sure who. Obviously, that throws questions … What’s happened with Ilia? Is he having a break? Is he moving up? I still don’t know the answer to that.
‘He obviously was talking about moving up. We originally thought it was going to be Ilia or Lopes. I was preparing for Ilia because we did the face-off.
‘Lopes, obviously a dangerous dude. A bit of a different matchup to Ilia. Obviously, both are dangerous fighters. I’m really looking forward to this one, very excited.
‘Excited to show everyone — people are like, ‘Oh, he’s old, he’s done!’ I hope people are thinking that. Everyone knows I love the underdog story, I love to prove people wrong.
‘I still think a lot of people believe in me, and I’m going to go out there and look great anyway. But for those who don’t, you have every right to think that until I change your opinion, and that’s exactly what I’m going to do April 12. So I cannot wait for that.’
Meanwhile, Aussie rising star Jack Della Maddalena will get a shot at the welterweight title when he faces champion Belal Muhammad at UFC 315 on May 10 in Canada.
Volkanovski posed for hundreds of photos with fans on the day
The MMA star said it was ‘amazing to see the smiles on everyone’s faces’
Maddalena hasn’t lost a fight since he joined the promotion in 2016, with a series of highlight reel knockouts to his name.
The West Aussie was scheduled to face Leon Edwards in March, with the chance to face Muhammad if he got past the British former champ.
However, a shock injury to Shavkat Rakhmonov has given Della Maddalena a shot at UFC gold.
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