Streaking Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) featherweight title contender, Alexander Volkanovski, is fresh off a unanimous decision win over former champion Jose Aldo, who was ranked No. 1 in the world heading into UFC 237 last weekend in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
Unfortunately, it wasn’t enough to grant “The Great” a 145-pound title shot.
Instead, the promotion gave that spot to longtime contender, Frankie Edgar, who lost his place in line after Brian Ortega slept him at UFC 222. A rebound win over Cub Swanson — coupled with years of loyal service — was all it took to jump back into the mix.
“You hear Dana [White] and UFC brass, they like people that step up, they like guys that are willing to put it all on the line, and I think my whole career I’ve done that. And I think that’s why I got rewarded,” Edgar told MMA Fighting. ”Based on my past history with the UFC, and then the landscape of the way it went down with me and Holloway, I think it just makes sense.”
“I don’t want to take anything away from Alex, he’s a stud fighter,” Edgar continued. “He’s won a bunch of fights in a row. He’s going to get his time. I was him not too long ago, and he’s going to get his time. I know he’s probably a little upset, because I’ve been there before. But his time will come.”
Edgar was previously scheduled to throw down with Holloway at both UFC 218 and UFC 222; however, injuries to “The Answer” — then “Blessed” — torpedoed both bouts. That’s why Volkanovski, historically speaking, should keep himself ready for the short-notice call up.
Unless his current fight with that Brazilian parasite goes the distance.