Islam Makhachev IV allegations: Alex Volkanovski backs up Dan Hooker’s accusation

Alex Volkanovski and training partner Dan Hooker appear to be suggesting that UFC lightweight champion Islam Makhachev used an illegal intravenous drip before his fight at UFC 284.

Makhachev retained the 155-pound title with a hard-fought unanimous decision over featherweight champion Volkanovski over the weekend in Perth.

Much has been said about the size difference between the pair going into the fight, while reports claimed Makhachev’s weight loss hadn’t been easy.

MORE: ‘Definitely think I won’: Volkanovski calls for rematch with Makhachev

IV fluids have been banned since the UFC’s partnership with USADA in 2015.

Before they were banned, some fighters used them to rehydrate after weigh-ins, allowing them to quickly replenish fluids lost during weight loss, while there are also doping concerns as athletes may have the opportunity to stop the use of to disguise other substances.

UFC lightweight and City kickboxing teammate of Volkanovski Hooker got tongues and fingers tapping when he tweeted this on Monday (Australia time):

“The fool thinks he can fly to Australia and hire a nurse to give him an IV and we’re not going to find out. Cheating dog.”

MMA fans began speculating online as to who the Kiwi fighter might have been referring to before dispelling all doubt with this quote tweet.

Unknown to fans reading Hooker’s tweets, Volkanovski had made a similar conclusion about Ariel Helwani in a pre-taped interview released Tuesday morning in Australia and Monday afternoon in the US.

MORE: Volkanovski’s defeat at UFC 284 could be just the beginning of his rivalry with Makhachev

When asked about their respective weights during the fight, Volkanovski said he weighed 76 or 77 kg (just under 170 lbs), while guessing Makhachev weighed around 81 kg (179 lbs) before adding the line regarding the drip.

“You fill up the IVs and stuff pretty quick,” Volkanovski said.

“Maybe that’s a little shot at her. You hear whispers, but still.”

Later in the same interview, while promoting a rematch and claiming that Makhachev is the new pound-for-pound number one, Volkanovski again alluded to the use of IV.

“I don’t need him featherweight, he can be welterweight wherever we fight, he can get as big as he wants with IVs and whatever he does it doesn’t matter. Watch what happens next time,” he added.

“I don’t want to be that guy but I think I still proved I’m the better fighter and I’m number one pound for pound.”

It is not yet known whether Volkanovski and Makhachev submitted samples to anti-doping authorities after the fight.

If proven intravenous use athletes face a ban of up to two years.

In 2016, Makhachev was pulled from a card late after a pre-fight drug test was reported for the presence of meldonium.

Meldonium, a blood flow drug, was banned by USADA in early 2016 but can remain in the body for several months.

At the time, Makhachev revealed he had been using the drug after undergoing surgery on his heart until late 2015, and the Dagestani was cleared for closure after an investigation into the matter.