Alexander Volkanovski open to interim title fight against Diego Lopes at UFC 312 in Australia
Photo by Mark Metcalfe/Zuffa LLC
Alexander Volkanovski has specific criteria in mind for his next fight — he wants to return at UFC 312 in Australia and he wants gold on the line.
The former featherweight king hasn’t competed since he suffered a devastating knockout loss to Ilia Topuria back in February, which cost him the 145-pound title. With the UFC now returning to Australia on Feb. 9, Volkanovski makes it clear that he plans to fight on that card come hell or high water.
“I’m going to do whatever it takes to make sure that I am on that card,” Volkanovski said during a local press conference announcing the event via Submission Radio. “I’ll be entertaining in Sydney in February, 100 percent.
“Whether it is for the title, an interim [title], lightweight title, I don’t care what it is. If for some reason I can’t get a fight, I’ll entertain on the DJ decks or something. I’ll find a way to do it.”
Ideally, Volkanovski would like to fight the winner of the UFC 308 main event where Topuria puts his featherweight title up for grabs against Max Holloway.
But the 36-year-old former champion acknowledges that there’s all sorts of potential obstacles that could prevent the winner from fighting in late October and then competing again three months later in early February.
He hopes either Topuria or Holloway stay healthy enough to fight again that soon but that’s also why Volkanovski has the idea about introducing an interim title in their absence.
“If there’s injuries or something, I think an interim could be that might fit,” Volkanovski said. “Max, if he was to win, he obviously has the ‘BMF’ belt as well so whether he moves up to lightweight, which would mean an interim. So we’ve had these conversations and I’m really going to push for that.
“I’m pretty sure they do both want quick turnarounds. You’ve got injuries that could get in the way, other divisions for Max. So that could mean maybe an interim title, which is fine. Anything with gold, I’ll be happy. That’ll just lock me in for whoever wins that anyways. So even if it’s interim, that’s still a big one.”
While nothing has been decided yet and probably won’t until after UFC 308 concludes, Volkanovski believes that top-ranked contender Diego Lopes is the most likely candidate for an opponent if Topuria or Holloway aren’t available.
Fresh off a win over Brian Ortega in September, Lopes is set to weigh-in as the backup fighter for the title bout in Abu Dhabi on Oct. 26. Volkanovski welcomes that challenge to ensure he gets to fight in Australia in February.
“I’d say it would be an exciting one with [Diego] Lopes if that was going to happen,” Volkanovski said. “If not, it’s Max or Ilia.”
As far as who he’s picking to win at UFC 308, Volkanovski has plenty of history with both men but right now he’s leaning towards a new champion being crowned in Holloway.
“I think he’s proven himself time and time again,” Volkanovski said about Holloway. “So it looks like I might have to do No. 4 with the guy so we’ll see what happens.
:I’d probably like to compete with Ilia, get that win back, to be quite honest but I was asked the question who do I think would win, I thought it probably would be Max. But whoever it is, they’ve got the belt so that’s exciting.”
