Alexander Volkanovski, the former UFC featherweight king, is ready to show the world he’s far from finished. After a tough stretch of losses, the Australian star is gearing up to face Diego Lopes for the vacant featherweight belt at UFC 314. The big fight goes down on April 12, 2025, at the Kaseya Center in Miami, Florida. Volkanovski opened up to ESPN about his recent struggles, his burning drive to win, and his plan to cement his legacy as one of the greatest ever.
“I think a lot of people are gonna look at that and be like, ‘That was a bad run,’ and then obviously could point to skill and whatnot,” Volkanovski said about his recent 1-3 record over four fights.
“But it was a short notice fight that I took. I wanted to take a high risk, high reward fight.”
He’s talking about his knockout loss to Islam Makhachev at UFC 294 in October 2023, a rematch he jumped into with little prep time after nearly beating the lightweight champ earlier that year. Then came another knockout loss to Ilia Topuria at UFC 298 in February 2024, costing him the featherweight title.
“I was ready to take it on, and I thought I could get it done,” he added. “Didn’t go that way. Quick turnaround, got caught again. A lot of people are gonna look at that and be like, ‘He’s done.’ And they have every right to think that. But for me, the guy that’s turning up in the gym, seeing what I’m seeing in preparation? I know I’m not done.”
Volkanovski’s confidence is sky-high after crushing it in training, and he’s out to prove the doubters wrong.
A Fight to Flip the Script
At 36, Volkanovski knows this weekend is his shot to turn things around.
“There’s only one way to change everyone’s opinion. It’s to go out there this weekend and remind everybody. And that’s exactly what I plan on doing,” he told ESPN. “People will forget, and that’s why we love this game. You know, people can be quickly reminded as well, and that’s exactly what’s gonna happen this weekend.”
Facing the red-hot Diego Lopes, who’s riding a five-fight win streak, Volkanovski sees UFC 314 as the perfect stage to show he’s still got it.
He’s not just fighting for a win. Volkanovski wants the belt back and a legacy that stands the test of time.
“I don’t really like talking about myself like that,” he said when asked about being the greatest featherweight ever.
“But what I do plan on doing is getting that belt back and defending, and just adding to my legacy.”
With five title defenses already under his belt, two shy of Jose Aldo’s record, he’s hungry to keep building.
“It’s gonna be pretty hard to beat my resume,” Volkanovski said. “Especially with the title defenses and the people I’ve beat, two time champion, things like that. I think it’s gonna be very, very hard to top that. So that’s what I plan on doing. If people don’t think I’m that guy yet, they will in time to come, because I plan on having another title run after this weekend.”
His wins over Max Holloway, Jose Aldo, and Chad Mendes already make his record a tough one to match, and he’s betting on more gold to seal the deal.
Volkanovski’s last fight was over a year ago, giving him time to heal up and sharpen his skills. Now he’s set to face Lopes, a 30-year-old Brazilian who’s been tearing through the division with knockouts and submissions. The stakes are huge, but Volkanovski’s ready to remind everyone why he was once atop the pound-for-pound rankings. UFC 314 isn’t just a fight. It’s his chance to rewrite the story and kick off another epic title reign.
