Having claimed his sixth UFC Featherweight Title victory at UFC 290 on July 8, here at SportsLens we assess several options for Alexander Volkanovski and who he may fight next. ‘The Great’ is one of the pound-for-pound best MMA fighters on the planet, and will look to get back in the octagon before the end of the year.
What Next For Alexander Volkanovski
Having knocked out Yair Rodriguez in the main event at UFC 290 on July 8 at the T-Mobile Arena, Las Vegas, Nevada, we decided to explore some of the options that ‘The Great’ has. Could he fight before the end of the year Will the Australian MMA star step up to lightweight Will ‘Volk’ remain at 145-pounds and try and beat Jose Aldo’s title defense record
We aim to answer some of these questions in this article.
One thing is for sure, Alexander Volkanovski has tons of options, and won’t be struggling for a fight next time he steps foot in the octagon.
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Rematch With Islam Makhachev For UFC Lightweight Title
It seems that the most obvious and most likely fight for Alexander Volkanovski next is the rematch with Islam Makhachev for the UFC Lightweight Title.
The pair of combatants headlined UFC 284 back in February, with Volkanovski challenging for UFC gold up at lightweight in front of his own fans in Perth, Australia.
On the night, fans were treated to an absolutely incredible fight. 25 minutes of non-stop action. Two men at their absolute athletic peaks, throwing down in the centre of the octagon for five rounds. The fight of course earned Fight Of The Night, as well as being one of the best fights of the year so far.
Unfortunately for the Australian, he was unable to become a two-weight world champion on the night, losing via unanimous decision to the reigning UFC Lightweight Champion. However, the fight was extremely close, nip and tuck, with many fans believing Volkanovski had done enough to win the bout.
The rematch has a huge narrative, it sells itself. The first fight was too close to call. Volkanovski would have the chance to become a two-weight world champion, with Islam Makhachev having the opportunity to make it back-to-back wins over one of the best pound-for-pound fighters in the UFC.
Makhachev hasn’t fought since the bout, so will be looking to get back into the cage before the end of the year. The fight makes sense. Charles Oliveira of course deserves his shot at Makhachev again, but has revealed he won’t be ready for October and doesn’t want to fight the champion in Abu Dhabi.
That leaves the door open for Volkanovski, who will almost certainly take that fight if given the opportunity. This is the one all MMA fans want to see next, and it could well happen.
ALSO SEE: Alexander Volkanovski MMA Record: ‘The Great’ Boasts Incredible 26-2 Record With 6 UFC Title Victories
Rematch With Yair Rodriguez
Another potential fight for Alexander Volkanovski next is of course a rematch with Yair Rodriguez – who he just defeated at UFC 290.
You might be thinking this is unlikely given how conclusive the finish was from ‘The Great, but a rematch with ‘El Pantera’ could potentially be on the cards next for the Australian MMA phenom.
The reason for this is because of an accidental head clash during Round 3 of the fight. Yes, Volkanovski has won the opening two rounds and was well on his way to piecing Rodriguez up, but the Mexican challenger looked good in the third round, and was winning that round prior to the head clash and stoppage 90 seconds later.
Of course, the head clash was totally accidental, and you could argue has an effect on both fighters. However, the former UFC Interim Featherweight Champion was looking in control of Round 3, prior to the clash of heads.
Less than 90 seconds later, the champion landed his clubbing shots, sending Rodriguez wilting to the canvas, before following up with some ground and pound. Although the ending of the contest was conclusive, you could argue that this was down to the head clash.
Of course, ‘Volk’ would go into the rematch as a huge favorite with the best US sportsbooks. This option is unlikely for Volkanovski next, but isn’t totally beyond the realms of possibility. Stranger things have happened in the UFC!
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Title Defense Against Ilia Topuria Or Arnold Allen
Two further options for Alexander Volkanovski could be another title defense against either the #4 ranked UFC Featherweight Arnold Allen, or the #5 ranked 145-pound fighter Ilia Topuria.
Looking at the #5 contender Ilia Topuria first, this fight is one that makes total sense. The Georgian/Spanish fighter is undefeated in the UFC in six fights, having beaten the likes of Josh Emmett, Bryce Mitchell and Ryan Hall in his short UFC tenure.
This fight makes sense, as Topuria is one of the fighters in the Top 10 UFC featherweight rankings who Volkanovski is yet to face. Not only that, but Topuria is undefeated in the UFC, as is Volkanovski at 145-pounds. The fight would certainly sell, with Topuria one of the future stars of the sport.
The other option for Alexander Volkanovski could of course be against English MMA star and #4 ranked UFC featherweight – Arnold Allen. The Englishman was undefeated in 10 UFC bouts, before losing last time out to former champion and former trilogy opponent of Volkanovski, Max Holloway.
Allen lost the bout conclusively on points, but was on an incredible run prior to the fight with ‘Blessed’. The reason this fight could happen next, is the fact that Allen is the highest ranked fighter at 145-pound who Volkanovski is yet to beat. Despite losing last time out, he is technically next in line in terms of the rankings.
Either of these two fights could be next for ‘The Great’. Of the two, it is probably more likely that ‘Volk’ faces Ilia Topuria next, rather than Arnold Allen. Regardless of who it is, Volkanovski would be the overriding favorite with the best offshore sportsbooks to win the bout.
Any Other Names For Volkanovski To Fight Next
Of course, there are some other options out there for Volkanovski next, depending on what happens in the UFC’s upcoming events. Max Holloway is always a name on people’s lips at featherweight, but a fourth fight between the pair is unlikely, given the fact that Volkanovski has won the previous three.
There could be some big names from bantamweight stepping up to face Volkanovski. The likes of Henry Cejudo and Aljamain Sterling may well move up to 145-pounds in an attempt to win UFC gold in another weight division. A fight between either of these stars could also be an option for ‘The Great’ before the end of the year.
However, the most likely fight next for Alexander Volkanovski is of course the rematch with Islam Makhachev. The UFC lightweight Title would be on the line, with a chance for the Aussie to become a two-division world champion in the UFC. The first fight was so good, that a rematch is almost guaranteed at some stage.
No matter who the 34-year-old fights next, it is sure to be a mega-fight. Volkanovski is one of the best fighters in the UFC, as well as being one of the biggest draws in the entire sport of MMA. No matter who he fights, millions of fans will tune in from all around the world.
Be sure to claim the various sports betting apps and boxing free bets available on the SportsLens site ahead of Volkanovski’s next fight.
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