Alexander Volkanovski interested in a possible move to lightweight following UFC 266 win over Brian Ortega
UFC featherweight champion Alexander Volkanovski is interested in a possible move to lightweight following his UFC 266 win over Brian Ortega.
Volkanovski defeated Ortega via unanimous decision in a fabulous performance in the UFC 266 main event. Volkanovski showed off incredible striking skills once again during the fight, not to mention improved grappling and submission defense skills. With the win over Ortega, Volkanovski has now won 20 straight fights, including all 10 of his UFC appearances. It’s beginning to get to the point where he is running out of fresh challengers in the UFC featherweight division, Volkanovski is apparently open to fighting at lightweight.
Speaking to reporters following UFC 266, Volkanovski admitted that he is willing to go to lightweight, especially if there are no other fresh challengers ready for him now at 145lbs.
Volkanovski: "We've got Yair and Max fighting, I'm guessing that's for number one contender… I want to fight, so do I move up to lightweight, fight the champion, whatever it is, give me something."
— Aaron Bronsteter (@aaronbronsteter) September 26, 2021
Volkanovski: “We’ve got Yair and Max fighting, I’m guessing that’s for number one contender… I want to fight, so do I move up to lightweight, fight the champion, whatever it is, give me something.”
Volkanovski has beaten many of the top fighters in the featherweight top-10, but there are still some other new challengers waiting for him at 145lbs. There is always the Holloway trilogy fight after what happened in their rematch last year. Then there is Rodriguez out there, as if the Mexican should beat Holloway, he could be next in line. Of course, Zabit Magomedsharipov is still out there, even if he was taken out of the rankings recently. And then you look a bit further down the featherweight ladder and you see fighters such as Giga Chikadze and Arnold Allen who are waiting for their crack at the belt. So while it’s understandable that Volkanovski feels that he’s running out of challengers, it seems like there are a few more waiting for him at 145lbs before he contemplastes the 155lbs move.
What do you think about Alexander Volkanovski moving up to lightweight?
