Alex Volkanovski was such a dominant champion at 145 kilos, matchmakers have agreed to present “The Nice” a chance to reclaim his crown in his eventual return to motion — assuming the 35 year-old Aussie needs to attend for Ilia Topuria to make his first featherweight title protection towards Max Holloway sooner or later later this yr.
“I’ve heard Ilia and Max is confirmed so I would like to speak with the UFC and see what’s happening,” Volkanovski informed Fox Sports activities Australia. “I’d mentioned I needed a while off, and the UFC needed me to take a while off, so if that battle is made I must be okay with it. I can’t anticipate the UFC to attend for me. But when they’re going to do Ilia and Max, I simply hoped it might be earlier as a result of I wish to battle this yr, I don’t wish to wait.”
Volkanovski (26-4) was dethroned by Topuria within the UFC 298 headliner earlier this yr in Anaheim, his second straight knockout loss after getting planished by 155-pound titleholder Islam Makhachev of their short-notice rematch atop the UFC 294 pay-per-view (PPV) card final October in Abu Dhabi.
That hasn’t stopped “The Nice” from mulling a return to light-weight.
“So if there is no such thing as a title battle till subsequent yr then I would like one thing thrilling — perhaps Charles Oliveira,” Volkanovski continued. “There are others however I believe Michael Chandler will hold ready for Conor McGregor and I believe Dustin Poirier and Justin Gaethje additionally wish to wait a bit. There’s no person [at featherweight] that excites me, or that I haven’t fought already. And so they’ve mentioned my subsequent one there may be the title battle.”
Oliveira, 34, is at present unbooked.
