Alex Volkanovski believes he could get a fight with Conor McGregor if he wins the lightweight title.
The reigning featherweight champion is coming off a dominant win over Max Holloway in his last outing at UFC 276 in July. He ended their rivalry with a decisive third win over the former champion. Following the bout, he got picked as the main event backup for the title fight between Charles Oliveira and Islam Makhachev at UFC 280 this past Saturday.
Makhachev handily dispatched Oliveira to become the new 155-pound king and wasted no time in calling out Volkanovski for a clash of champions.
Alex Volkanovski says getting the lightweight title could set him up for a fight with Conor McGregor
In an interview with Submission Radio, Alex Volkanovski shared his thoughts on a potential bout with former two-division champion Conor McGregor.
“There is maybe a little bit of history there. I go and take that lightweight title, he knows he ain’t fighting for the featherweight title, I go I take that lightweight title. He knows there’s an opportunity there. I’ve touched on the fact that he was a featherweight champion and he’s the only other featherweight champ I haven’t beaten so I’ve touched on that a few times.
“That fight means something to me as well as the money that’s involved and all that type of stuff. The whole circus around it would be entertaining and fun. I’d enjoy it. There’s a deeper sort of meaning to the fight than just that.”
‘The Great’ suggested McGregor is keeping a close eye and would pounce at the opportunity.
“I think he knows that as well. He’s probably like, ‘wait this kid gets it, maybe we could set something up.’ He’d love a chance at the title which would be pretty hard coming off a few losses but if there’s something there, I’m sure UFC would push it.”
Volkanovski opened up about the weird Twitter exchange with ‘Notorious’
McGregor fired shots at Volkanovski after Makhachev’s crowning moment. Volkanovski delivered a humbling response to ‘Notorious’ using an old tweet of the Irish icon to push back on his comments. It appeared that McGregor took it in stride as he followed up with a nicer response.
Volkanovski gave his take on the whole exchange, labeling it ‘weird.’
“He had a shot at us, me and Islam. I thought I’ll just let him know ‘he’s a former (wise man).’ I think that was a good piece of wording there like, former wise man once said. Just talked to showing him that tweet that he tweeted because it’s a true tweet, it’s legit. Obviously, he used to think like that. Now, he was acting everything but that. I thought I’d pull him up on it.”
“I didn’t expect his change, sort of a tone like all of a sudden all good. It was a weird one with it.”
Alex Volkanovski is expected to challenge Makhachev for the lightweight belt in an attempt to become ‘double-champ.’ The bout will likely be set for the promotion’s return to Volkanovski’s native land of Australia at UFC 284 in February.
