Rematch! Alex Volkanovski eyes Ilia Topuria do-over if Justin Gaethje retires from UFC
Alexander Volkanovski is nearing the end of his hall of fame MMA career and wants to retire from UFC in the most spectacular way possible. That’s why “The Great” has set his sights on a championship super fight against current 155-pound kingpin Justin Gaethje for early to mid 2027. But if “The Highlight” calls it […]
Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates - Former UFC featherweight champion Alexander Volkanovski is planning to avenge his 2024 loss to Ilia Topuria if Justin Gaethje retires from the sport. The "Great" has set his sights on a championship super fight against the current 155-pound kingpin Justin Gaethje for early to mid 2027. However, if Gaethje decides to hang up his gloves, Volkanovski believes it would be the perfect opportunity to take back the victory he lost to Topuria in a featherweight championship bout last October.
Volkanovski told Brendan Bradford, "If it was going to be for a lightweight title, that'd be great, because I get that win back as well. Gaethje took that zero, so I can't say that I get the chance to take that zero from him, but to get that win back would be great." Despite acknowledging that he has no animosity towards Gaethje, Volkanovski expressed his desire to test himself against the current contender.
If Gaethje does retire, Volkanovski mentioned that he would find another opponent to continue his undefeated record in the division, stating, "Win, lose, or draw I retire, so I’m not holding the division up." Neil Hendren from UFC acknowledged the Australian fighter's plans, emphasizing that it is just a matter of finding a willing opponent.
Volkanovski is currently on a three-fight winning streak since falling to Topuria in Abu Dhabi, where he also claimed the lightweight title.
Written by urgent.news from Yahoo Sports's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
