Volkanovski wants Gaethje – and would then retire "win or lose"
After UFC 333 the featherweight champion is pushing for a superfight for the lightweight title. Dana White: "There's not much we're going to say no to with him."
Archive image · Photo: The White House (Molly Riley) / Wikimedia Commons, Public domain (cropped and resized)
After his win over Movsar Evloev, Alexander Volkanovski openly campaigned for a fight against lightweight champion Justin Gaethje. According to Middle Easy, Gaethje has held the title since beating Ilia Topuria in June. The 38-year-old Australian would end his career for that fight: "I would retire win or lose; then it's vacant, so I'm not holding the division up," he said, according to Uncrowned.
At lightweight, Volkanovski has so far lost twice to Islam Makhachev. Even before UFC 333 he had talked about a superfight with Gaethje: "Imagine that, do it as a send-off," Bleacher Report quotes him as saying on a podcast.
UFC president Dana White responded warmly: "Volkanovski is incredible." He added: "When you've accomplished what he's accomplished, there's not much we're going to say no to with him." The fight has not been booked.