Alexander Volkanovski announced Monday that he’s the official backup for the upcoming UFC lightweight title fight.
Volkanovski, who holds the featherweight title, said that he’s been medically cleared to fight from a hand injury and that the UFC is keeping him on reserve in case either Charles Oliveira or Islam Makhachev were to pull out of their vacant championship bout later this month.
Oliveira and Makhachev are scheduled to fight in the main event of UFC 280, which is set to take place Oct. 22 in Abu Dhabi.
“We’re locked in as a backup fighter,” Volkanovski said on his YouTube channel. “I’ve been calling it, I said I wanted it, just had to make sure the hand was all good, so we’re all good. We’re locked in, and we got the clearance to fight.
“The UFC is on board, everyone is on board, so I’ll be at UFC 280 to make weight, and yeah, looking forward to it. We’ll see what happens. If someone doesn’t make it, I’m there to save the day. If not, at least I’m locked in as the next guy to fight for that lightweight title, and that’s that.”
A UFC official did not immediately respond to MMA Junkie’s request for confirmation on Volkanovski’s backup status. The promotion has yet to comment on the situation.
Volkanovski (25-1 MMA, 12-0 UFC) said he’s healing well from his broken hand – an injury he sustained in his trilogy fight against Max Holloway back at UFC 276 in July. He said doctors told him he should be good to fight, and the 34-year-old already has begun training.
Volkanovski is unbeaten in his UFC run. His only professional defeat came in 2013 when he competed in a welterweight tournament at Australian Fighting Championship. He’s currently on an impressive 23-fight unbeaten streak, which includes victories over featherweight greats such as Holloway (three times), Jose Aldo, Chad Mendes, Chan Sung Jung, and Brian Ortega.
It’s worth noting that top contender Beneil Dariush, who’s on a seven-fight wining streak, also fights at UFC 280 against Mateusz Gamrot. Given Dariush’s run, many thought he’d be the backup for Oliveira vs. Makhachev.
For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 280.
