Alexander Volkanovski is set to defend his featherweight belt for the third time next weekend in a trilogy bout against Max Holloway at UFC 276. Ahead of the important fight, the champ did not shy away from revealing his plan to move up to the 155 pounds and dominate the lightweight division as well.
Something like Conor McGregor
In his press conference in Sydney, Volk divulged the true essence of his first title defense against Holloway. According to the reigning 145-pound king, he must secure the W over “Blessed” as he sees it becoming his launch pad to a title fight with the lightweight champ.
At the moment, the 155-pound strap is up for grabs, but Volkanovski assumes that Charles Oliveira would get it back. Regardless, “The Great” is confident about becoming a champ-champ, sort of like what Conor McGregor did during his reign at featherweight.
“That’s why I talk about this first fight with Max being a big one,” Volkanovski explained. “After this one if I go and do my thing, it gives me that time to go and least have a chance to go for that double-champ status. That’s what I want, so I’m going to do what I plan on doing and then that’s what I’m going to call for.”
“I’m planning on moving up, [Charles Oliveira] is dangerous and I think it’ll be a massive fight,” he added. “I definitely believe I can get that double-champ status and I’ll be successful, but let’s worry about Max first. Once it’s done, Australia maybe we do it here.”
Assessing Do Bronx
As much as Volkanovski acknowledges Oliveira’s arsenal, the featherweight champ vows not to give “Do Bronx” an opportunity to take him out. For Volk, his “thing” is to “land big and not get hit” and not one bit will change when he finally meets the Brazilian inside the octagon.
“When I look at Oliveira [I see] a dangerous fighter. A lot of people lot watching him fight because he’s in exciting fights, but obviously he’s shown that he can be beat. In his last few fights they were exciting, he was almost beat every time,” the champion assessed.
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“The thing is with me, I am not going to give him the opportunities. if I land big on someone they aren’t going to get the opportunity to land big on me, that’s not how we roll. I’m going to land big and not get hit, that’s the whole point,” he added.
Should everything goes well for Volkanovski, he will become the eighth UFC fighter who have reached double-champ status. Until then, “The Great” would first need to deal with Holloway at UFC 276 on July 2 at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada.