Volkanovski Targets Four Names For ‘Fight Island’ Scrap

Photo by Paul Kane/Zuffa LLC

Reigning UFC featherweight champion Alexander Volkanovski is willing to defend his title against any of the division’s top contenders as long as he gets to do it on Dana White’s “Fight Island.”

Volkanovski, 31, captured the UFC featherweight title from Max Holloway back at UFC 245 this past December, pushing his undefeated promotional record to 8-0. While Volkanovski was expecting to rematch “Blessed” at UFC 251 this June, the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic eventually put a stop to his training and the UFC schedule as a whole.

As UFC begins to ramp up its efforts beginning with the proposed May 9th event in Jacksonville, Fla., Volkanovski is looking to throw his name into the mix for any future card on “Fight Island.” The UFC champion was already part of the “Fight Island” Coachella poster and is now calling out a few names for his first 145-pound title defense.

“If fight island happens, who’s up for it? @BlessedMMA @BrianTcity @KoreanZombieMMA @zabeast_mma,” wrote Volkanovski via Twitter.

Of course, Holloway would have the first opportunity to challenge Volkanovski and try to win back the title he lost just five months ago. After all, “Blessed” had won 14 fights in a row at the featherweight level before running into “The Great” at UFC 245. The former champion would easily have first dibs.

That said, not everybody is able to train and compete during the current COVID-19 outbreak, so backups for Holloway would include top contenders like “Korean Zombie” Chan Sung Jung, Brian Ortega, and even Zabit Magomedsharipov, who is currently sparring with goats. Each fighter presents different threats to Volkanovski even though the champion would be favored in all three matchups.

Ortega, who lost his lone UFC featherweight title bid opposite Holloway at UFC 231, was the first contender to respond to Volkanovski’s callout:

“I’m always down to get down. I’ll pack my boards so I can surf after,” wrote Ortega via Twitter.

What say you, Maniacs? Who do you want to see Volkanovski lock horns with on “Fight Island?”

Sound off!