UFC featherweight champ Alexander Volkanovski: ‘Lightweight for certain within the near future’

Alexander Volkanovski hasn’t given up on his lightweight hopes.

Featherweight champion Volkanovski (26-3 MMA, 13-2 UFC) lost to lightweight champion Islam Makhachev a second time at UFC 294, this time by knockout when he stepped in on immediate leer this past October in Abu Dhabi.

Volkanovski, 35, defends his title in opposition to Ilia Topuria (14-0 MMA, 6-0 UFC) in UFC 298 headliner Feb. 17 at Honda Heart in Anaheim, Calif. Despite falling immediate to Makhachev twice, Volkanovski has no longer build 155 pounds on the again burner.

“Positively no longer,” Volkanovski mentioned all thru the UFC 298 pre-fight press conference in Sydney (h/t MacLife). “Clearly straight after – I’m a realist. I’m no longer looking forward to a rematch straight away. Each person’s going to peer that. They’re going to be love ‘the age thing’ and all that. There’s going to be some of us doubting. ‘Is his time performed?’ – which is hyping up this fight, so I’m all aesthetic with it.

“Nevertheless, all americans’s going to be reminded, and all americans goes to be switching a fat 180 (levels) asserting there’s nothing left for me at 145, and they need me to head spend that lightweight belt. That’s what I thought on doing. I’m going to head available spend care of Ilia and we’ll leer what’s next, nevertheless lightweight for certain within the near future.”

If Volkanovski can bounce Topuria out of the ranks of the unbeaten at UFC 298, he’ll take be aware of lightweight next if there’s no particular-within the reduction of contender at 145 pounds.

“I love having a clear man, which is Topuria aesthetic now – which is unreal,” Volkanovski mentioned. “Nevertheless as I mentioned earlier, lightweights are clearly there, so as that’s doubtlessly something that I’ll peer to because I’ll are enthusiastic to fight just a few instances this twelve months, as properly. Who’s next? I don’t know.

“Clearly you’ve got guys love Movsar (Evloev), who’s undefeated and all that. Nevertheless it absolutely goal desires to be particular. There’s guys who obtained’t be too a long way off, nevertheless time will recount who’s there. Nevertheless while we’re figuring that out, we’ll enjoy some fun fights at lightweight, per chance.”

For extra on the card, test with MMA Junkie’s occasion hub for UFC 298.