Outside Source
Justin Gaethje (28-5) recently dethroned Ilia Topuria in a massive upset to win the undisputed lightweight in his third attempt. Volkanovski (28-4) admits that he is open to moving up to lightweight to challenge Gaethje for the title. However, the UFC featherweight champion is not sure if he is currently in a position to call for a lightweight title shot. Volkanovski notes that he had defended the featherweight title four times in his first stint before calling for a lightweight title shot against Islam Makhachev. Volkanovski also admits that Arman Tsarukyan should ideally get the next title shot at lightweight. However, “The Great” also notes that Tsarukyan has not exactly been a company man.
Advertisement
‘I’m Not Going to Call for It’
“Of course, I’ll do it,” Volkanovski said on YouTube. “I’m going to call it when I I feel like I deserve it, and you’ve seen when I was defending my belt five times before I asked for the double champ, and then had the fight with Islam. Like that’s just how it is… So, I’m not going to call for it. That’s the type of champion I am. I think you need to earn it. But if the UFC was to offer it, of course, see two 38-year-old fellas go at it in the lightweight division? 100%. Of course I would. But, Arman should be next. But when you’re not doing what the the UFC wants and you’re not, you know, being a company man, you can be punished for it. So we’ll see what happens.”
Volkanovski gave Makhachev one of the toughest tests of his career while making his first unsuccessful double-champ bid in 2023. The Australian subsequently defended his featherweight title one more time before making another short-notice double-champ bid against Makhachev, who violently knocked him out in the rematch. Volkanovski then went on to lose the title against Topuria, who moved up after defending it once. Volkanovski has since won the vacant title against Diego Lopes and defended it in a rematch against Lopes.
Meanwhile, Tsarukyan has been sidelined from the lightweight title picture since pulling out of a title challenge against Makhachev last year. “Ahalkalakets” was supposed to weigh in as the backup fighter for the title fight between Topuria and Gaethje at UFC White House earlier this month. However, finding both Topuria and Gaethje healthy, Tsarukyan chose to compete in a wrestling match against Tony Ferguson instead of weighing in as the backup fighter for the main event at the White House.
This article first appeared at Recent News on Sherdog.com
Help support MMACrazies.com when you shop Amazon by starting your online Amazon shopping at MMACrazies.com/recommends/amazon. You are not charged extra, but we receive a small and very helpful commission on everything you purchase. Thanks for thinking of us every time you shop at Amazon.
