Alex Volkanovski states his case as the next featherweight title contender, despite the likes of Frankie Edgar also wanting a shot at Max Holloway’s belt.
Despite champion Max Holloway’s next move of fighting for the interim 155-pound championship, the featherweight division’s title picture is still quite clear. Among those who can possibly gets the next crack at 145-pound gold are Alexander Volkanovski and Frankie Edgar.
Edgar’s management team feels they are “owed” the next title shot, which Volkanovski vehemently disagrees with.
“(Edgar is) dreaming if he thinks I’d take out Jose Aldo in his hometown and then he gets a shot in front of me,” Volkanovski told MMAjunkie. “Surely that just does not make sense.
“I feel bad for him, because I know he deserves it, especially with the whole (Brian) Ortega thing that happened. But this sport can be so unforgiving, man. But do we have sympathy out there just to let him have a title shot? I don’t think so. It’s unfortunate. I feel sorry, but mate, I’m the guy.”
If he does win over a legend like Aldo, Volkanovski is expecting to get an interim title fight, at the very least.
“We know how this game works now,” he said. “How many interim titles are there? I’m not throwing shade on the guys organizing that, but it’s happening a lot, and I’m expecting it to happen to me. If Holloway wins, and he wants to fight Khabib (Nurmagomedov) and wait around, give me the interim. You’re throwing them around – give me one.
“But I’m not going to wait around. I’m almost certain I get the next shot after this fight. I beat Aldo in his hometown, nobody’s got a better claim.”
Volkanovski is set to face Aldo at UFC 237, which takes place on May 11th in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.