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UFC 298: Post Ilia Topuria, Alexander Volkanovski Reveals Possible Opponent at 145 Lbs and Gets Honest on Lightweight Return- “Some Fun Fights”

Published 02/02/2024, 9:39 AM EST

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Alexander Volkanovski is not one to back down. Already considered one of the greatest featherweights in UFC history, the Australian tried to make history and become the sixth two-division concurrent champion in the promotion’s history last year. He faced lightweight champion Islam Makhachev twice last year in an attempt to realize this dream but lost both times.

His UFC 294 fight against Makhachev, which ‘Volk’ took on short notice, was especially humiliating for him as he suffered a first-round head-kick knockout. This, however, seems not to have dampened his spirits as he is still looking to win the lightweight title in the future after defending his own featherweight title against Ilia Topuria next month.

Alexander Volkanovski still looking to fight at 155

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Alexander Volkanovski will face hyped, undefeated prospect Ilia Topuria at UFC 298 on February 17 in Anaheim, California. On being asked by reporters at the UFC 298 press conference if he was looking to fight at lightweight again, ‘Volk’ replied in the affirmative.

“I’m not sure. So for me it’s just I like having a clear guy which is Topuria right now. But as I said earlier, you know lightweight’s obviously there so that’s probably something that I’d look because I want to fight a few times this year as well,” the featherweight champion said.

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While he clarified that he was focused solely on Topuria for now, he did not see many other contenders in the featherweight division after him. While #5 ranked undefeated Movsar Evloev is expected to be in the title mix soon, ‘Volk’ has by and large already dealt with the top guys in the division. And as he waits for new contenders at featherweight, Volkanovski plans to have some “fun fights” at 155.

“But, yeah, who’s next? I don’t know. Obviously, you got guys like Movsar [Evloev] who’s undefeated and all that but it just needs to be uh clear, you know… Time will tell who’s there but uh while we’re figuring that out we’ll have some fun fights at lightweight, maybe, you know,” he added. Until then, however, Volkanovski is looking to teach Topuria a lesson.

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Volkanovski vows to end Topuria’s hype

Alexander Volkanovski once again promised to “humble” the outspoken and arrogant Ilia Topuria, who has promised to defeat the champion and called him old. At the press conference, the Australian felt that while ‘El Matador’ was not to be taken lightly, he had not fought anyone as good as him. The Australian was supremely confident of victory.

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“Look, he’s a dangerous opponent… He probably hasn’t proved himself against the top guys … but that doesn’t mean he’s not as good as he says he is… Everyone has a puncher’s chance and to be honest I think that’s all he has got… He’s young, dangerous, has a lot of hype around him … but that all ends in a couple of weeks,” ‘Volk’ said. What are your predictions for UFC 298?

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Written by:

Kanishk Thakur

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Hi, I am Kanishk and I am a UFC Writer at EssentiallySports. I love telling the stories of these magnificent fighters and this wildly unpredictable sport that is so frustrating and yet so joyous at the same time. I never really used to watch MMA, thinking it too crude or brutal a sport to deserve respect.
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Edited by:

Gokul Pillai