The UFC 317 light-weight title tilt between Ilia Topuria and Charles Oliveira has captured the eye of the MMA world, and that features UFC featherweight champion Alexander Volkanovski.
In April, Volkanovski began his second reign because the 145-pound champion after dropping the title to Topuria in his prior bout in February 2024. The now-former champion Topuria has absolutely dedicated to the light-weight ranks, beginning with a showdown in opposition to the legendary Oliveira, who held the division’s strap from 2021 to 2022.
Having blended it up with Topuria and seen his abilities firsthand, Volkanovski shared his prediction on the battle for the vacant title that headlines the Worldwide Combat Week 2025 showcase.
“I’ve acquired Ilia,” Volkanovski mentioned on Thursday’s particular version of “The Ariel Helwani Present.” “I feel simply stylistically and what we’ve seen, Charles could be very aggressive, a really thrilling fighter. That’s why all of us love to observe him. But when he comes aggressive like that, there’s going to be alternatives for Ilia. Ilia can bang. In the event you’re going to return ahead like that, you would possibly lead your self, that’s all the time gonna be one thing. Charles may positively catch him, however you will be hittable in the event you come aggressive. Particularly with somebody like Ilia. He’s going to again himself and attempt to pull one on you as you’re coming in like that. Particularly in the event you’re slightly bit out of place. I wouldn’t say his chin’s up. He type of has a guard, and is available in a straight line.
“Ilia can actually sit on some pictures if that’s the case. I do know there are going to be knees arising. Will he be frightened about that? Will he need to be defensive first? Ilia is aware of how aggressive Charles goes to return ahead. It’s an fascinating one. We don’t know the way Ilia is on the again foot, however will Charles be like, ‘his solely probability is catching me, I’m gonna shoot?’ I’m going to inform him I’m going come ahead aggressive, however I’m truly gonna shoot on him? We’ll see what occurs. But when he comes aggressively and does what he all the time does, I feel [Ilia] knocks him out.”
The meteoric rise of Topuria started along with his knockout win over Volkanovski, and his star grew arguably even larger when he knocked out one other former champion in Max Holloway. After that win, Topuria declared that the load cuts had been an excessive amount of, which instantly raised the potential for a superfight in opposition to Islam Makhachev.
Nevertheless, the then-lightweight champion Makhachev in the end adopted an identical blueprint as Topuria, vacating his title in pursuit of the welterweight crown later this yr. Earlier than his Topuria loss, Volkanovski went to battle twice with Makhachev, performing valiantly solely to return up brief every time.
Volkanovski, 36, had anticipated this eventuality concerning Makhachev. All of it hinged on the final welterweight title bout between Belal Muhammad and Jack Della Maddalena. If Muhammad had retained the title in opposition to Della Maddalena, Makhachev would keep at light-weight moderately than problem his buddy. In the end, Della Maddalena scored the upset through unanimous choice this previous Could.
“I’m not stunned,” Volkanovski mentioned of Makhachev leaving light-weight. “I feel simply with the way in which it was all taking place, and the truth that they’re ready, I used to be like, ‘Ah, they’re clearly ready for JDM and Belal.’ So you might see that’s what they had been ready for. Then JDM acquired him, and also you knew that was it. … I believed that from the beginning.”
Volkanovski has teased the concept of returning to light-weight himself in some unspecified time in the future. However for now, his focus is on as soon as once more holding down the fort at 145 kilos. It’s only a matter of who he’ll face subsequent now that contender bouts have been introduced in latest weeks.
One battle particularly that caught Volkanovski abruptly was the pairing of high contender Movsar Evloev and UFC newcomer Aaron Pico, which is able to happen at UFC Abu Dhabi subsequent month. Undefeated in 19 fights, Evloev has been the subsequent challenger that the champion had his eye on even earlier than he regained the title.
“I’m not afraid of anybody, whoever they put in entrance of me, I’m going to battle, however I do like combating people who deserve it,” Volkanovski mentioned. “That’s simply how I’m, and the way I’ve all the time been, and that’s why I really feel essentially the most thrilling battle for me could be Movsar. Stylistically, I feel it’s nice for me anyway, however not simply that, it’s he deserves it. He’s undefeated, 19-0, he’s acquired the perfect résumé within the high 5 proper now anyway, and so it simply makes essentially the most sense on these facet of issues.
“I get it. They’re most likely making him battle another time and hoping he will get a end and whatnot. However I feel after this battle, the winner of that, I don’t know. You reckon Pico goes to get it? I do know if Movsar was to win, or if he will get a end, it’s going to be 100% Movsar. If Pico wins, does he go straight to the title? I don’t know. Whoever it’s.”
Volkanovski’s final opponent, Diego Lopes, additionally booked his subsequent battle, as he’ll collide with the surging Jean Silva in Noche UFC’s predominant occasion in September. That leaves Yair Rodriguez as maybe the likeliest challenger at current, since he’s the lone contender unnoticed of the featherweight matchmaking equations.
Volkanovski ideally needs to get again in motion round September, however is awaiting the beginning of his subsequent baby, making a particular dedication exhausting to pinpoint. Regardless, he likes the concept of a battle in September or October, if not past. Whether or not meaning a rematch with Rodriguez or not, Volkanovski can’t say.
“That’s what I began considering for a bit,” Volkanovski mentioned. “I’ve been mentally getting ready for Yair as a result of, as I mentioned straight after the [Lopes] battle, when everybody began mentioning that to me, I wasn’t conscious that that may very well be a possibility. I used to be all the time considering it was gonna be Movsar or perhaps [Patricio] Pitbull. I simply thought it was extra like that.
“I ain’t going to be the one to say no if the UFC put it ahead. So it appears like that may be what it was. The Mexico card, then the stadium fell by, so now I don’t know precisely what’s occurring.”
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