Alexander Volkanovski, the UFC featherweight champion, recently tested his skills by going up against Jamal Murray, the point guard for the NBA champion Denver Nuggets.
However, once they hit the ground, the differences in height and size became irrelevant. Volkanovski, who stands at 5’6″, often faces taller opponents, but none are as big as Murray. Murray, at 6’4″ and weighing 215 lbs, is typically matched against even taller and heavier NBA defenders. Recently, he sought out Volkanovski to learn striking and grappling techniques from the UFC’s pound-for-pound best fighter.
Once he picked up some new skills, the 26-year-old Canadian was eager to put them to the test, boldly challenging Volkanovski to submit him within 60 seconds. “I’m not going to let myself get submitted in just a minute,” Murray stated confidently. “If you try to submit me within that timeframe, my goal is simply to survive.”
Volkanovski accepted the challenge with a grin, taking a moment to outline the rules for their grappling match. Murray was willing to let Volkanovski go all out and attempt any submission technique, except for leg locks.