If we know anything about Alexander Volkanovski, it’s that the former UFC Champion likes to stay active.
For the first time in his MMA career, Volkanovski is coming off of back-to-back losses. The Australian was knocked out by lightweight champ Islam Makhachev on short notice last October and four months later, he’d drop down in weight for a featherweight title defense against Ilia Topuria.
What Excites Alexander Volkanovski?
“The Great” would be taken out in brutal fashion by Topuria, getting knocked out in the second round at UFC 298. Volkanovski hopes to dust himself, but perhaps not in an immediate rematch – as Topuria will likely face BMF titleholder Max Holloway next, later this year. Volkanovski won’t want to wait that long for the winner, however, planning to fight again before 2024 ends.
“For me right now, what excites me?” Volkanovski said on FREESTYLEBENDER. “The things that excite me in featherweight, it’s just the belt, obviously the rematch and the belt, right? That’s big. I’m still that competitor where like, all right, this is my division. I’m getting it back. I want that win back, things like that. And so it’s gonna be there, but then at lightweight, it’s like, let’s have some fun while we’re waiting.
“I think they, they’re probably gonna do Max and Ilia [in] September, cause I told the UFC I didn’t wanna fight till later in the year. I really committed to that in my head. Now I started training, I’m like, I wish I didn’t tell ’em that. So I did that, but I mean, that’s fair. But I did say, look, I don’t wanna wait too long either. I’m in a position now where if they do that and they want me to fight bloody in March or something, or April, I was like, ‘Oh, well, alright, I’m gonna fight a lightweight, give me exciting fights…'”
Potential Fights With Dustin Poirier, Charles Oliveira
After just about cleaning out the featherweight division in his time as champion, Volkanovski thinks more fun fights await him in the weight class above at lightweight. Volkanovski has expressed interest in facing divisional staples like Charles Oliveira and Dustin Poirier following their own setbacks to some of the best in the world in Islam Makhachev and Arman Tsarukyan.
“I want an exciting fighter like a Charles Oliveira,” Volkanovski reiterated. “I did call out Poirier after that [loss against Makhachev]. He’s a great dude. We get along. I think he’s a good man and he’s obviously a big fun fight. There’s still history there with mutual opponents. He used to fight at featherweight, things like that. And obviously a big name, fun fight that would be. So, that’s exciting.
“Charles Oliveira… there’s a lot of, there’s exciting fights that I would love to do while I’m waiting as well. So yeah, just whatever excites me, the belt excites me. Ilia, obviously, rematch excites me. So, that’s the main thing in the featherweight [division]. Like I wouldn’t just fight anyone in featherweight, ’cause my next fight’s for the title and that’s that.”
Top ranked contenders Charles Oliveira and Dustin Poirier are two of the more well-respected names at not just 155lbs, but on the entire UFC roster for the murderer’s row of talent they have fought thus far into their UFC careers.
“The Diamond” Poirier is leaning towards retirement after falling short of the title against Makhachev, but believes he has one more fight left in him, which could potentially be against another high-level fighter in Alexander Volkanovski.
Former champ Oliveira has made no mention of calling it quits himself, having been called out left and right, most recently from outspoken UFC Welterweight contender Colby Covington.
