It seems that UFC featherweight champion and no.1 ranked pound-for-pound fighter on the planet, Alexander “The Great” Volkanovski, is on the cusp of his long-awaited move up to the 155-pound division. Volkanovski has long threatened to pursue a second UFC title, and claimed on his YouTube channel that he’s “locked in” as backup for UFC 280, headlined by a title clash between Charles Oliveira and Islam Makhachev. Assuming both Makhachev and Oliveira end up fighting, Volkanovski says he’s first in line to face the winner.
“We’re locked in as a backup fighter. I’ve been calling it, I said I wanted it, just had to make sure the hand was all good, so we’re all good. We’re locked in, and we got the clearance to fight.
Volkanovski “Locked In” For Lightweight Title Fight
The UFC is on board, everyone is on board, so I’ll be at UFC 280 to make weight, and yeah, looking forward to it. We’ll see what happens. If someone doesn’t make it, I’m there to save the day. If not, at least I’m locked in as the next guy to fight for that lightweight title, and that’s that.”
Alexander Volkanovski has not lost a single fight in his UFC career. His sole loss as a professional came back in 2013, when he was still fighting as a welterweight. Curiously, UFC lightweight Beneil Dariush also believes that he’s been tipped as backup for the UFC 280 main event. Dariush, set to face Mateusz Gamrot on the same card, aired his confusion on Sirius XM.
“Honestly, I’m confused. I don’t know if he’s playing games or the UFC is playing games, because I was told I’m the fill in.
That’s the whole point of having another lightweight fight on that card, just in case something goes wrong, so I don’t understand what’s going on here. I’m trying to get to the bottom of it, but ultimately I have one goal and that’s Gamrot. But I really thought I was the fill in, that’s what I was told.”
Volkanovski’s claim comes hot on the heels of his announcement that he has fully healed from the broken hand he sustained fighting Max Holloway at UFC 276. Volkanovksi has long promised to join the hallowed ranks of the UFC’s two-division champions. If this announcement is accurate, it seems like the Australian fighter might be closer than ever before.
Do you think we’ll see Volkanovski earn a second belt? Let us know in the comments.
