With both undisputed featherweight champion, Alexander Volkanovski, and recently minted undisputed lightweight best, Islam Makhachev clamouring for the UFC to issue contracts for a superfight next year, the former insists the bout will occur, claiming his home country of Australia is due a “big fight” amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
Most recently co-headlining at UFC 276 back in July during International Fight Week, Volkanovski turned in a dominant third career win over former featherweight champion, Max Holloway – successfully defending his championship.
Last month, the New South Wales native weighed in as the official backup to the UFC 280 lightweight title featuring Charles Oliveira, and the aforenoted, Makahchev – however, his services were not required by the organization.
Instead, Volkanovski joined newly crowned, lightweight kingpin, Makhachev in the Octagon following his submission win in Abu Dhabi, UAE – setting up a potential February superfight in Perth, Australia.
Alexander Volkanovski promises a fight with Islam Makhachev will happen next
Both noting their interest in booking the fight sooner rather than later across their respective Twitter accounts, Volkanovski has insisted a fight with Makhachev will happen – and more to the point, in his native Australia.
“We’re going to make it happen,” Alexander Volkanovski said of a fight with Islam Makhachev during a media availability ahead of UFC 281 this weekend. “Don’t worry about that. Australia needs a big fight. Me just defending would be great, but me going for that lightweight title, taking that lightweight title in Perth on home soil would be incredible.”
“That’s exactly what I plan on doing,” Alexander Volkanovski continued. “I put the tweets out just to make sure it happens. I’ll leave it at that.” (Transcribed by MMA Fighting)
Makhachev’s teammate and coach, former lightweight titleholder, Khabib Nurmagomedov predicted a dominant win for his training partner over Volkanovski to boot ahead of the potential fight, claiming Makhachev will gazump the Aussie at the pound-for-pound number one in the UFC.