Three years after twice attempting to dethrone Islam Makhachev as the reigning featherweight champion and failing, Alexander Volkanovski now appears ready to make another bid for double-championship glory. He is aiming to kill two birds with one stone—a showdown against star Arman Tsarukyan for the lightweight title. However, pulling it off won’t be as simple as Justin Gaethje holds the key that can unlock Volkanovski’s long-awaited dream.

“If I was in the lightweight division and I was champion at lightweight,” Volkanovski told Ariel Helwani. “I’m fighting Arman 100%. If Gaethje doesn’t want to do that, I’ll do it.”

Volkanovski’s comments follow the predicament surrounding Gaethje. At the White House event on June 14, 2026, Gaethje finally became a champion by stopping Ilia Topuria in the fourth round.

Instead, reports emerged that Gaethje could be considering retirement. As he turns 38, the lightweight champion feels he has little to prove in a sport where he has endured some of the biggest and most brutal fights over a 15-year career in MMA.

Beyond the physical wear and tear, Gaethje feels it’s about time he started a family.

“I just have the most amazing parents,” Gaethje said back in January 2026. “The unconditional love and the unconditional support that they have given me and shown me through my whole life is something that I wish every child could experience…”

“I don’t have kids, I’ve never been married, and I’ve been committed to the game since I left high school in 2007…I want children, but I don’t want children until I can be what my parents were for me. I’m almost done with this ride. I think definitely by 2027 I will be done, and I will be able to move on to those other parts of my life.”

The champion has entrusted his family and manager with helping him decide the next chapter of his career.

His mother’s reported stance that he’s finally done with fighting and Arman Tsarukyan’s comments further fueled speculations about Gaethje’s retirement.

If Gaethje retires, then the lightweight division will open up for Volkanovski to make his next move.

“I’ll vacate the featherweight belt. Fight Arman for the title,” he added. “There it is. I’m starting to get more excited for that than the Gaethje fight.”

Speaking with reporters at the post-fight press conference for UFC 333, Volkanovski initially expressed interest in a matchup with Gaethje.

Alexander Volkanovski wavers between Tsarukyan and Gaethje

“I believe that we could do this and not hold the division up,” he said. “Again, whether it’s our retirement fight or just, you know, putting it on the line, which will be a cool little bit of a super fight, and 38-year-olds just going on at it, and then, you know, then we’ll leave it all and let all the young fellas sort themselves out.”

But the opportunity to test himself against Tsarukyan continued to draw his attention.

“100%,” he responded when a reporter asked if he would be willing to move up if Tsarukyan became champion. “If I can do this and not hold the division up, I’d love it, you know; let’s do it 100%. And that’ll be a great fight. You know, it’s a great fighter. But yeah, for sure.”

Tsarukyan’s recent comments about him could have played a role in Volkanovski’s change of direction.

“I would fight him. He’s old and has a bad chin,” Tsarukyan told Helen Yee while expressing an interest in a fight with Volkanovski. “He’s a tough opponent, but he’s a little bit old now. For me, it’s a perfect fight.”

For Volkanovski, a matchup with Tsarukyan gives him an opportunity to test his wrestling skills against a world-class grappler.

Taken together and as he mentioned in Ariel Helwani’s show, Volkanovski looks open to any opportunity UFC presents. Among those, the fight against Tsarukyan looks most appealing, provided Gaethje settles the uncertainty surrounding his retirement.