UFC CEO Dana White has confirmed that Alexander Volkanovski is getting the next crack at Ilia Topuria, the man who took the belt off him in February.
Put down the magic 8-ball, because all signs point to Alexander Volkanovski fighting Ilia Topuria next.
Topuria just knocked out Max Holloway in the third round of their UFC 308 main event (highlights here), cementing his place as the new dog at the top of the featherweight division. But just like Volkanovski had to beat Holloway multiple times, now “El Matador” will have to face “The Great” again.
Ilia took the belt off Alex in February with another impressive knockout win in the second round. The win was definitive enough to throw a rematch into doubt, but after defending the belt five times and jumping into last-minute fights for the UFC, it looks like Volk has earned another crack.
Dana White is asked if Volkanovski is next for Topuria:
We’re not gonna say no to Volkanovski.#UFC pic.twitter.com/HecBQLsArx
— Jed I. Goodman © (@jedigoodman) October 26, 2024
.“Listen, Volkanovski is one of those guys,” White said at the UFC 308 post-fight press conference. “We’re not going to say no to Volkanovski.”
“He’s been that guy for us any time we needed him. He’s been on this run like [Israel] Adesanya and like Alex [Pereira] is on right now. When things don’t go our way and you’ve got to call a guy, Volkanovski has always been that guy. He really was. For him to ask for it, I don’t think anybody in this room is going, ‘Oh, this is ridiculous or crazy.’”
And the most important factor.
“Who wouldn’t want to see it again?” White exclaimed.
There was more than just a little lip service given to Volkanovski. The Australian fighter was also invited into the cage to face off with Ilia Topuria. In the past “El Matador” has played hard to get, but he acknowledged Volk as next up.
“We’re going to do it again, you deserve that,’ he told Volkanovski. “He defended his title I don’t know how may times, if someone deserves it, it’s him. Lets do it, bro!”
Now the only question is where the fight will happen. In Spain, where White has suggested a mysterious lack of venues is making a Topuria homecoming difficult? Or in Australia, where the UFC is already scheduled to return to in February for UFC 312?