Alexander Volkanovski steps back into the Octagon this Saturday at UFC 325 to defend his featherweight title in a rematch with Diego Lopes, a clash that rekindles unfinished business between the division’s longtime king and the fast-rising challenger determined to change the ending the second time around.
Volkanovski (27-4) expects another exciting matchup with Lopes the second time around, but this rematch carries added significance. The last time he fought in Australia was at UFC 284, where he fell short in his bid to capture the lightweight title against Islam Makhachev.
Now, he’s hoping to deliver the kind of moment his home crowd has been waiting for, and one he feels they deserve.
“I want to have a big moment here. That’s what I love about being here in Sydney. Whenever I’m traveling away everyone can’t be there live. They can’t be in the arena, and feel the atmosphere,” Volkanovski told reporters on Wednesday.
“I get to do that here. Not only go there, hopefully exciting fight, but I want to go out there and look dominant. Give all my supporters, family and friends, give them that feeling. That moment that they’re going to remember forever.”
The featherweight champion is the target for the entire featherweight division including guys like Jean Silva, Movsar Evloev and Lerone Murphy. Lightweight Arman Tsarukyan recently said he’d like to go down to 145 pounds and challenge for the title.
Not one to turn down a challenge Volkanovski was almost giddy about the possibility.
“I love challenges. He would obviously be a tough challenge. He could could get down there that would definitely be a tough challenge,” he said.
“You got guys like Movsar, undefeated, so later. Whatever comes my way I’ll be happy, but Movsar, Lerone, incredible records. Or even Arman if he was to come down like yeah that’s a challenge. I feel like my takedown defense is pretty solid so that’ll be a fun one.”
Volkanovski has reached rare territory in the sport, a champion fans still love to watch, yet worry about every time he steps into the octagon. With the titleholder set to turn 38 in September, questions have begun to surface about how much longer he plans to compete, and whether a fight like UFC 325 in Sydney could eventually signal the beginning of the end.
“It’s how you get through camps. You’re making the right adjustments. I am 37-years-old, but the intensity was still there. If you make them adjustments you can have a longer career. It’s all about the health and that as well, but I plan on taking minimal damage out there and then having a quick turn around, and we’ll see what happens after that,” he said.
“You’ve seen a lot of rumors. People like oh it’s going to be his last one, and obviously I put that to bed. I still got a bit left in me. That’s why I want to be active, because how much longer am I gonna be…maybe I can fit another six in, you know. We’ll see where we go.”
Watch the entire media day scrum with Alexander Volkanovski. He defends his UFC featherweight title against Diego Lopes on Saturday night.
