Alright, let’s talk about this Volkanovski fella and his rugby days, you know? I heard tell he used to play that rough and tumble game before he started punchin’ faces for a livin’. Sounds like he was a tough nut even back then.
Volkanovski and Rugby: The Early Years
So, this Volkanovski, he wasn’t always about the cage fightin’, no sir. He was a young fella, just like any other, runnin’ around, playin’ rugby. He played for the Warilla Gorillas, some team down south, I reckon. And let me tell ya, he wasn’t just any player, he was a good one! They say he was the best in the league one year, got this medal, the Mick Cronin Medal, they called it. Must’ve been somethin’ special, that boy.
- He played for the Warilla Gorillas.
- He won the Mick Cronin Medal in 2010, best player in the league.
- He even got “Man of the Match” in some big game, the Grand Finale.
Now, I don’t know much about rugby, seems like a bunch of fellas crashin’ into each other, but if Volkanovski was good at it, it must’ve been tough. He was probably one of them fellas who just runs right through ya, like a bull in a china shop, you know?
From Rugby Pitch to UFC Octagon
See, that’s what’s interestin’. This fella, he goes from playin’ rugby, a real tough sport, to fightin’ in that cage, the UFC thingy. I saw one of them fights on the telly once, them fellas beatin’ each other somethin’ fierce. But you know, it makes sense, if you’re tough enough for rugby, you’re probably tough enough for fightin’.
They say he was a big fella too, back in his rugby days. Over 200 pounds, that’s what I heard. A real strong boy. I guess all that runnin’ and hittin’ in rugby got him ready for the fightin’ game. It’s like he was always meant to be a tough guy, whether it was on the field or in the cage.
A Concrete Layer’s Journey
And here’s another thing about this Volkanovski. He wasn’t just playin’ rugby and then fightin’. He worked too! A concrete layer, they say. Now, that’s hard work, lemme tell ya. Mixin’ that concrete, pourin’ it all day, bakin’ in the sun. So, he was a tough fella, workin’ hard, playin’ hard, and then fightin’ hard. That’s what I call a real man, not like these young fellas these days, always on their phones.
Semi-Professional Rugby and Teenage Dreams
He played that rugby pretty serious too, not just for fun. Semi-professional, they call it. Means he was good, but maybe not makin’ the big bucks like them fellas on the telly. He started playin’ when he was just a young fella, fourteen years old, that’s what I heard. Imagine that, a young boy, already playin’ a grown man’s game. He went to some high school, Lake Illawarra, and after that, it was work and rugby, until he found that fightin’ game.
Making a Living in Two Tough Worlds
Now, I don’t know how much money he made playin’ rugby, probably not as much as he makes now fightin’. I heard he got paid a good chunk for that last fight, hundreds of thousands of dollars. Can you believe that? From playin’ rugby and layin’ concrete to makin’ that kind of money. It’s like somethin’ out of a storybook, you know? But it just goes to show ya, if you work hard and you’re tough enough, you can make somethin’ of yourself.
From Local Rugby Star to UFC Champion
So, this Volkanovski fella, he went from bein’ a local rugby star to a UFC champion. That’s a long way, I reckon. He probably learned a lot playin’ that rugby, about teamwork, about bein’ tough, about never givin’ up. And he took all that with him into the fightin’ game. That’s why he’s so good, I bet. He’s got that rugby spirit, that never-say-die attitude.
The Unseen Connection: Rugby and MMA Success
And it’s kinda funny, ain’t it? You wouldn’t think playin’ rugby would get you ready for fightin’, but it seems like it did for Volkanovski. Maybe it’s the toughness, maybe it’s the discipline, maybe it’s just bein’ used to gettin’ knocked around a bit. Whatever it is, it worked for him. He took somethin’ from that rugby field and brought it into the cage. And now he’s a champion. Goes to show ya, life takes ya in strange directions sometimes.
Conclusion: A Testament to Hard Work and Determination
So, there you have it. Volkanovski, the rugby player turned fighter. A tough fella, a hard worker, and a champion. He’s proof that where you start don’t matter, it’s where you end up that counts. And he ended up on top, thanks to a bit of rugby, a lot of hard work, and probably a whole lot of guts.
