Alexander Volkanovski has already cemented his name as one of the greatest featherweights of all time and has the chance to reclaim his title of 145 pounds.
The MMA world was turned upside down last week with some surprising news when UFC Baas, Dana White, announced that champion featherweight, Ilia Topuria left its title to move to 155 pounds.
And with that White announced that the UFC 314 Main Event in Miami will be an empty featherweight title fight between Alexander Volkanovski and the rising Brazilian competition, Diego Lopes.
The original plan was for 'El Matador' to rematch Volkanovski on UFC 314, but the teammate of Volkanovski, then Hooker, claimed that Topuria continuously turned off the fight.
Photo by Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC
Alexander Volkanovski outlines his plan for second featherweight Reign
Immediately after the news was announced, Volkanovski Lopes sent a warning message and claimed that he will destroy his title ambitions.
Despite the confidence of Volkanovski on the way to his empty title fight, the 36-year-old has to overcome losses for the first time in his career against Lopes Back-to-Back that is on an impressive win of five fights.
In anticipation of his fight against 'The Great', Lopes was involved in a feud with Aljamain Sterling, after Sterling suggested that the UFC 314 title fight Movsar Evloev should have taken into account.
Although the unbeaten Russian may have been a shame to miss a title fight this time, Volkanovksi has set out his plan for his second title line, revealing that he will focus on a fight against Evlovev if he beats Lopes.
“I tell you I am going outside and I will win the belt and I will call (Movsar Evloev) so that he can probably wait if he wants,” said Volkanovski on the Ariel Helwani show.
“I am winning that title and I will fight against him three months later, tell me the date on which we can do it and I will call the photos that night … I think Movsar definitely deserves,” he continued.
Although Topuria has permanently moved to 155 pounds, Volkanovski believes that a rematch against the 28-year-old can still happen somewhere along the line.
“We will see what is happening, maybe we are putting a big fight with Ilia at Lightweight or that he wants to come back, maybe we can make that huge rematch. After my next fight you want to see all of that again, believe me, “people added.
Alexander Volkanovski pension considered UFC 314 fighting was booked
Although he claims that he will probably fight a few more times, especially if he recovers the featherweight title on UFC 314, Volkanovski has admitted that he retired before he received a vacant title fight.
The former featherweight champion has been open in recent years with his emotions and admits that when he has no fight to prepare, he is struggling.
“I have sacrificed many years of myself to look out at my family and that is exactly what is needed and I am okay, especially now, the fact that I know that I am doing well (my career).
“I wasn't sure if I would be okay sooner, now I know I will do that. The free time was incredible, I started to think, man, I go back because of how much I enjoyed, “Volkanovski admitted.
Now that the end of his career is approaching, it is unclear how many longer fans can enjoy 'the great', but he will certainly set up another spectacle on UFC 314.
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