After Alexander Volkanovski outclassed Diego Lopes at UFC 325, ‘The Great’ didn’t utter a single word about an imminent retirement. Instead, he craved for more action inside the Octagon. As ‘Volk’ fans soaked in what might come next for their favorite star, a former UFC champion surprisingly hoped to see the Aussie retire as a reigning champ in front of the Sydney crowd.

Just like MMA fans around the world were left amazed by the 37-year-old Volkanovski’s showing, former lightweight champion Frankie Edgar was also in awe of the performance. However, while ‘The Answer’ found the reigning 145lbs king’s hunger to keep fighting highly motivating, he also admitted he would love to see the New South Wales native say goodbye as the reigning titleholder, which would’ve been a rare moment. 

Frankie Edgar wanted Alexander Volkanovski to retire as champ at UFC 326

“I was kinda trying it myself. The fact that he got it done makes it cool to say it can happen. That’s for all these fighters out there. You see a guy get it done once and you’re like, ‘All right, that’s attainable.’ He’s definitely motivating a lot of people out there,” Edgar told MMA Junkie.

Well, as Alexander Volkanovski defeated a dangerous Diego Lopes for the second time in a row, he made it clear during the post-fight press conference that he is eyeing an undefeated contender next. While addressing his championship obligations, ‘The Great’ showed interest in facing either Movsar Evloev (19-0) or Lerone Murphy (17-0-1) as his next challenge, and it appears one of them could be next in line.

The UFC’s official X account recently revealed the match card for UFC Fight Night in London, which will take place on March 21, 2026, headlined by Evloev vs. Murphy. And while ‘Volk’ will likely face the winner of that clash, Edgar believes the Aussie missed a golden opportunity to retire as champion, something very few manage to do in this sport.

“To be honest, I would love for Volkanovski to say, ‘I’m out, I’m leaving as the champion. Because who gets to do that nowadays? Nobody. Not many people get their flowers in this sport, unfortunately, and he’s in a position where he can. I totally get why he doesn’t want to because he’s still competing and the best in the world,” Edgar added. 

With that said, very few fighters announced retirement from the sport as reigning champions, with Henry Cejudo (UFC 249) and Khabib Nurmagomedov (UFC 254) among the rare names to retire with the title. Cejudo later came out of retirement three years later at UFC 288.

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That said, there is no denying that Volkanovski has firmly cemented himself as one of the greatest featherweights of all time. Still, Edgar remains unsure whether ‘The Great’ truly holds the GOAT label. 

Edgar is confused about the ‘The Great’ vs Jose Aldo GOAT debate 

Alexander Volkanovski, with his stellar victory at the second Paramount+ CBS event, has achieved yet another milestone in his legendary run. By equaling Jose Aldo’s record, ‘The Great’ now boasts eight championship victories in the featherweight division. The Aussie reaching that mark has once again sparked debate over whether he has truly surpassed the Brazilian icon. Some fans firmly believe the New South Wales native has already clinched GOAT status, while others argue he needs to break the record outright to claim it undisputedly.

“It’s so tough to pick the GOATs of these weight classes. I think in my era, it was Aldo without a doubt. Hands down. Then the next era, it’s without a doubt Alex. That’s what you’ve got to do. Even though they fought each other, they fought each other when they were at totally different stages of their career, so it’s kind of hard to even compare these two,” ‘The Answer’ added in the MMA Junkie interview.

The former lightweight champion fought Jose Aldo twice at UFC 156 and UFC 200, losing on both occasions via unanimous decision. Still, with both men having dominated the same division, there remains a strong argument that Alexander Volkanovski may have already surpassed ‘The King of Rio.’

With that said, where do you think ‘The Great’ stands right now, and can he eventually retire as champion after clearing out the competition at 145lbs? Let us know your thoughts in the comments section below.