The UFC Featherweight Champion, Alexander “The Great” Volkanovski said he is ready to challenge the winner of Oliviera vs Islam for the lightweight belt.
Earlier this month, Volkanovski put on a dominant performance against former UFC featherweight champion, Max Holloway, winning the fight via unanimous decision (50-45, 50,45, 50-45). Immediately after the fight, the Australian mixed martial artist expressed his desire to be the fifth double champ (simultaneous) in UFC history. “Nothing but respect, but I’d love to move up and get that double champ status, and if I get both belts, I’ll keep them both busy.”, said the current Featherweight Champion in his post-fight interview.
Chasing double champ status!
@AlexVolkanovski wants to write history, staking his claim to the lightweight throne! #UFC276 pic.twitter.com/acXPUIpHkx
— UFC Europe (@UFCEurope) July 3, 2022
Later, Volkanovaki came to the Ariel Helwani show, The MMA Hour, and further professed his will to become the lightweight champion of the world while proposing Yair Rodriguez vs. Josh Emmett for the interim featherweight title. “Look, I don’t mind that idea while I’m sitting here,” Volkanovski stated. “Because again, I think it’s looking like me for that lightweight belt, and again there’s no clear for that No. 1 contender. Let them fight for that No. 1 contender.”
Currently, the lightweight title is vacant. Oliviera and Islam are set to fight for the vacant title in October this year. If all things go according to the wish of the Australian champion, we are likely to witness Volkanovski fight for the lightweight strap in early 2023 against either Charles Oliviera or Islam Makhachev. In that case, an interim title fight between Emmet and Yair in the featherweight division seems the most probable in the near future.
