With Jose Aldo recently finishing Renato Moicano, Brian Ortega has drawn interest in fighting the former featherweight champion, potentially for a title while Holloway is taking care of business at lightweight. Alexander Volkanovski sees things different, saying “I’m next.”
At UFC São Paulo on February 2, former UFC featherweight king Jose Aldo, arguably one of the best ever at 145-pounds, scored an impressive technical knockout victory over submission specialist Renato Moicano. Prior to that, it was Jeremy Stephens, who headlines the UFC 235 prelims, who was on the receiving end of a TKO loss to Aldo, which ended a back-to-back losing streak to current featherweight champion Max Holloway.
Following the Brazil native’s latest victory, Brian Ortega, former title challenger, hinted that he was interested in fighting the future hall-of-famer, Aldo.
Well let’s start negotiating.
— Brian Ortega (@BrianTcity) February 3, 2019
Ortega, who is coming off of a fourth-round TKO loss via doctor stoppage in between rounds, spoke with MMA Fighting, and tells them, “we’re at the top,” and “that’s the only fight I see that makes sense.”
“We’re the two guys at the top, No. 1 and No. 2. Everyone else we pretty much beat except the newcomers and this is the fight that makes sense. This is the fight that the fans are gonna want to see and the one thing we have in common is that we both got beat by Max.”
“It’s going to be a great time to fight him and prove who deserves to get the title shot again. And if Max decides to stay up at lightweight, then we can make this fight happen for the belt.”
It’s currently unknown how long Holloway will be away from the featherweight division, as today at the UFC 236 press conference, Dana White said the winner of Holloway vs. Poirier will fight Khabib Nurmagomedov next, followed up by Tony Ferguson’s missed opportunity, having turned down an interim title fight. But honestly, can you blame him?
Hoping for a summer return, and potential title fight with Aldo, Alexander Volkanovski – who’s currently coming off of a TKO win over featherweight staple Chad Mendes – has other plans in mind.
19-1, 6-0 in the UFC, Volkanovski took to social media following Ortega’s interest in a championship bout…
Tell him he’s dreaming. You can’t fight for the title coming off a loss… I’m next!! #sorry @BrianTcity @josealdojunior @ufc https://t.co/JZcvGW7Ykw
— Alex Volkanovski (@alexvolkanovski) March 2, 2019
Obviously directed at ‘T-City,’ he says “Tell him he’s dreaming. You can’t fight for the title coming off a loss… I’m next!! #sorry.”
Undefeated until his loss to Holloway at UFC 231 in Toronto, Canada, Ortega steamrolled through his division, with notable dominant wins over Frankie Edgar, Cub Swanson, Renato Moicano, Clay Guida, the list goes on…
Alexander Volkanovski is on the same path ‘T-City’ was on, walking through his competition, rumored to have retired Chad Mendes in his last outing. Nearly a flawless record, Volkanovski hasn’t lost since 2013, and is currently on a 16-fight win streak.
Should Max ‘Blessed’ Holloway have a lengthy stay at the 155-pound division, who do you think Jose Aldo should fight, Brian Ortega or Alexander Volkanovski? Let us know in the comments below!
