Before Alexander Volkanovski‘s title defense contrary to Yair Rodriguez at UFC 290 on Saturday night, Denver Nuggets guard Jamal Murray perplexed spectators by departing the arena with the UFC featherweight champion.

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Given their long-standing friendship, the two athletes decided to support one another by working together to compel Volkanovski to resign. Murray, a native Canadian, wore a jersey with Volkanovski’s name and number on it for the departure, while Volkanovski wore a jersey with Murray’s name and number on it.

Many spectators became entangled by the surprise walkout, but it was noticeable that the two sportsmen admired and respected one another. A fan even said, “What a random combo.” Volkanovski prevailed in the match through a unanimous scorecard, and he imposed on Murray the credit for proactively keeping him inspired and laser-focused.

Jamal Murray and Alex Volkanovski changed roles for a day

Alex Volkanovski and Jamal Murray are two of the best athletes in their respective sports. Volkanovski was the current UFC featherweight champion, and Murray was a well-known point guard for the Denver Nuggets. The two made the decision to exchange roles for the entire day one day. While Volkanovski was trying out for the NBA with the Nuggets, Murray would train him in mixed combat sports.

Murray was a prodigy in MMA. He immediately understood his plan and delivered powerful strikes that knocked Volkanovski down many times. But Volkanovski also found that it’s hard to keep an NBA game at that level of intensity. He struggled to make baskets because he was constantly misdirectioning.

“It was a really eye-opening experience,” Murray said. “I have a lot of respect for what Volkanovski does. MMA is a brutal sport, and he’s one of the best in the world.”

In the end, both athletes took many valuable lessons from their preparation. While Murray realized that MMA was a far more demanding sport than he had anticipated, Volkanovski discovered that basketball was significantly more hard than it appeared at first glance.

“I’m glad I did it,” Volkanovski said. “It was a lot of fun, and I learned a lot about basketball. I’m not sure I’m cut out for the NBA, but it was a great experience.”

The two sportsmen wrapped the day together with a beaming grin and a delicious meal. They both complied that it was a remarkable event they’d never forget.