For an MMA fighter, it’s a given that they may have to diet down and drop an insane amount of weight at very little notice. This was exactly the task Alex Volkanovski faced when given the call to fight Makhachev at less than two weeks notice for UFC 294.

In the days prior to the fight, his nutritionist, Jordan Sullivan, set to work crunching the numbers. His target? To ensure Volkanovski would step on the scales at least 26.5lbs lighter and come in at 155lbs. The twist? He had less than two weeks to do it.

‘You can’t pull something like this off unless you are on top of your training and nutrition year round,’ said Sullivan. ‘There was some easy post holiday pounds that came off fast initially but there was still a lot of work to be done.

‘Short notice fights are not uncommon in combat sports at any level but there is one thing that hinders it from happening for many fighters, their weight. That is because a lot of fighters do not sit at a weight outside of camp that would allow them to take a short notice fight.’

In an interview earlier in the year, Sullivan told MH UK that if you get too heavy outside of camp, that’s when some really bad things can happen and you have to push the body too hard.

‘Volkanovski is one of the few that consistently trains and lives the athlete lifestyle all year round,’ said Sullivan, ‘and that is why if there’s a person to go into a world title fight on 12 days notice and pull it off, it’s him.’

Here, we take a look at the late notice fight camp diet that was prescribed by the dietitian and weigh in with our opinions.

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Volkanovski’s Fight Camp Diet

‘We put a lot of effort in. We get Michelin star chefs from all around the world to help us create recipes. And [the fighters] really look forward to it,’ says Sullivan.

Calories: 2200

Carbohydrates: 100 grams

Protein: 190 grams

Fat: 125 grams

• Meal 1: Vegetarian omelette and mixed berries
• Snack: Frozen peanut butter cup
• Meal 2: Fried chicken, spicy sour cream and potato wedges
• Snack: Mixed berries
• Meal 3: Smoky BBQ chicken and cauliflower buffalo bites
• Dessert: Chocolate ice cream

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This diet wouldn’t look out of place being meal prepped by a private chef. The calorie goal is moderate, likely to ensure peak performance in the days running up to the fight. MMA is an intense and demanding sport, so slashing calories to super low levels could be a huge error when there is so much at stake.

Dropping carbohydrates to 100 grams a day – something called ‘carbohydrate manipulation – is a deliberate intention to help Volkanovski’s weight cut. According to Gatorade Sports Institute and a study published in The Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, a small drop in calories and a low carbohydrate diet for a week can result in weight loss without performance suffering.

‘Like people who’ve done a ketogenic diet or carnivore diet, where you remove carbohydrates, you lose a lot of weight really fast,’ says Sullivan.

‘[During fight week] they’re losing a lot of fluid out of their body in those five to seven days. And when I say a lot, like 10% of their body weight,’ says Sullivan. ‘So, when you remove carbohydrates, you rip out all the stored carbs, but you rip out all the water as well, so you get a lot of weight loss.’

It’s obvious that Sullivan has organised the diet with the athlete in mind, which is why it includes some sweet treats along the way. ‘Having something like jelly beans, frozen mangoes or some other type of candy or ice cream to look forward to, psychologically that really helps these guys,’ says Sullivan.

‘Athletes like Volkanovski make this process look easy, they put their head down, do what’s required, and don’t complain. But that doesn’t mean the process isn’t dangerous. It’s one of the most dangerous processes in sports, period.’

During a weight cut, combat fighters will typically use a variety of methods to lose further water weight than their diet will allow. This can include saunas, steam rooms and baths, which can all carry their risks to detriment the athlete’s health if not used correctly. Volkanovski cut 12 lbs in the last 12 hours before the weigh in with Sullivan’s guidance.

‘Dehydration is dangerous but our body is quite resilient to it [to an extent], but overheating can cause serious issues immediately, especially when the athlete is already dehydrated. By cutting weight in a more intelligent, controlled and measured way you can minimise [not remove] this risk of overheating and manage the overall risk to the athletes health.’ Something that Sullivan and his team have a wealth of experience in, to ensure the safety of their fighters.

Despite a 1st round loss, Volkanovski stepped on the scales 26.5 lbs lighter and made the lightweight class successfully and without any issues, despite the short notice.

‘Kudos to the GOAT for not only taking this fight on short notice, but making sure he did it in the safest way possible,’ shared Sullivan. ‘It takes a special type of individual to take on that physical and mental challenge but there’s a reason Volkanovski is best in the world at this.’