Despite being the undisputed UFC featherweight champion, despite having a fair claim at being the best pound-for-pound MMA fighter in the world, despite having already beaten him twice, Alex Volkanovski could still hear the doubters ahead of his third fight with Max Holloway.
Proving people wrong is as good a motivational tool as any, but when you're as accomplished as Volkanovski those dissenting voices are supposed to disappear.
But ahead of his third victory over the Hawaiian earlier this month, which closed the book on their rivalry, confirmed Volkanovski's status as the greatest featherweight of his time and opened the door on the Australian challenging for a title in a second weight class, Volkanovski said he still wasn't afforded the respect he believes he's earned.
"I was treated badly through a lot of it. You're going to get a lot of hate, there's going to be biased commentary, biased fans, there's going to be a lot of bias. I feel like it was unfair with how I was treated, but I stood up for myself," Volkanovski said.
"I won't back down. I knew everyone would get on my side eventually, because I wouldn't give them a choice and that's exactly what I did.
"People are going to try and bring you down, people are going to get in your head, people are going to be nasty, people are going to treat you like shit sometimes. Don't let it get to you.
"Stand your ground. Hold the line. Say 'f**k you, I'm not going anywhere' – excuse my language."
The unfair treatment wasn't just restricted to their third fight, which Volkanovski won over five dominant rounds in his most impressive showing to date, but stretches back into the past.
Volkanovski never said much at the time about it, because he didn't want to seem like he was whinging or making excuses.
But now, with Holloway in his rear-view and legendary status in his sights, Volkanovski believes the fighting world has no choice but to pay him the respect he deserves.
"Max is well-loved. There was a lot of media over there, a lot of biased commentary, USADA waking me up in the middle of the night (the week of the second fight) – they didn't wake up Max Holloway in the middle of the night, let me tell you now," Volkanovski said.
"Out of a trilogy, I didn't get to have one of them in my home country. Stuff like that. Some people get special treatment, and I didn't.
"But it didn't get to me, and now I'm the guy where they're asking what I want. I'm that guy. It took long enough for me to be that guy, but now I am that guy. They're all on my side now.
"There's no more questions now. They know I'm the man – it took them long enough. I didn't back down, I stood my ground, I held the line and did what I do."
A broken hand will keep Volkanovski on the sidelines for the next few months, meaning his next fight will likely come in the early stages of 2023.
The 33-year old has his eyes on the winner of next month's lightweight title bout between Islam Makachev and Charlies Olivieria and Volkanovski intends to use his clout with the UFC to try and have the champion vs champion bout on home soil.
"I don't have to ask for it and have people disagree. A lightweight title shot makes sense, this hand is all that's slowing me down. I want whoever has that belt, and I'm going to get that, I just need to know when.
"I fought three times in nine months. I had a week or two off after the Zombie fight and got straight into preparing for Max.
"They (the UFC) appreciate that, not just going out there and fighting, putting on good performances and fun fights. It's good when the UFC asks 'what do you want to do?'"
Volkanovksi hasn't fought in Australia since early 2018 and has never fought in front of a home crowd as champion.
He's fought Americans in America and Brazilians in Brazil, but has never enjoyed a home ground advantage since becoming a superstar, something he's keen to not only experience but share with Australia's sporting public.
"I don't care about the boos, cause it hypes me up, but as a champion I've faced that back-to-back-to-back," Volkanovski said.
"Let me fight in my territory, let me fight at home, I shouldn't have to just look down the camera and picture everyone at home cheering for me.
"I should be in an arena with these people, with my people. I can look down a camera and see them and hear them and feel them, but it's time to really feel them.
"We deserve it. Not just me, we deserve it. Australian fans deserve that."
