Alexander Volkanovski has no issues with Ilia Topuria getting an immediate UFC lightweight title shot.
Topuria (16-0 MMA, 8-0 UFC) is vacating his featherweight championship after back-to-back knockouts of Volkanovski and Max Holloway. Volkanovski was awaiting his rematch with Topuria, but those plans were derailed after “El Matador” moved divisions.
But because Topuria won’t be holding up any divisions, Volkanovski (26-4 MMA, 13-3 UFC) approves of the idea of him getting a shot at UFC lightweight champion Islam Makhachev right off the bat.
“Put it this way: If he was trying to hang on to both belts, I don’t think that was going to happen,” Volkanovski said on the “Believe You Me” podcast. “The fact that he’s vacated and the lightweight division’s in a position where, I don’t know, there’s no real clear No. 1, I think it’s fair.
“The fact that he vacated, I think that that’s fair. If he wanted to hang on and do the double champ thing, I think he needed to do more work. But the fact that he’s like, ‘Look, I’m going to let this one go, let that division move on. I want to commit to lightweight.’ I think that’s big. I think that’s fair, so I think he sort of deserves it.”
With Topuria relinquishing his featherweight title, Volkanovski will take on Diego Lopes (26-6 MMA, 5-1 UFC) for the vacant belt in the UFC 314 main event (ESPN+ pay-per-view) April 12 at Kaseya Center from Miami.
Volkanovski breaks down Makhachev vs. Topuria
If Topuria does end up getting the Makhachev fight, Volkanovski won’t entirely rule out his chances. The former champion suffered knockout losses to both Topuria and Makhachev but has a hard time seeing Makhachev lose.
“How do I think that fight’s going to go? I have fought both of them,” Volkanovski said. “Islam is going to be a hard man to beat for anyone. I think the only chance of him losing is someone knocking him out. Like, someone landing something, that’s what I believe. I’ve always believed that about myself. The only way I would lose is someone catching me rather than actually beating me. The only person that I believe will give me that close fight is Islam, and I feel the same for Islam with a lot of opposition. I think everyone has a puncher’s chance, and I think that’s the only way I see him really losing, someone catching him. And if anyone can do it, it is Ilia.
“Ilia’s obviously got some dangerous hands, so for people to just count him out, you know he’s got power in his hands. You know he’s going to be looking for it. You know he’s composed and even if things aren’t going his way, he’s going to keep looking for it, keep trying to find it until he does or until he loses. So, you know he’s dangerous. Maybe if the gas tank goes, we’ll see when he starts them later rounds with someone like Islam, but early on the first couple or first three rounds, he’s going to be dangerous. You don’t want to be getting caught by any of those punches. So, if anyone can catch him, I think Ilia’s right up there for a chance.”
For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 314.
