Alexander Volkanovski keeps double champ dreams alive by rooting for Ilia Topuria’s next move

UFC featherweight champion Alexander Volkanovski wants to fight former rival Ilia Topuria in the lightweight division.

Alexander Volkanovski keeps double champ dreams alive by rooting for Ilia Topuria’s next move

Alexander Volkanovski wants to take his revenge on Ilia Topuria (via Imago)

Becoming a UFC double champion is a rare accomplishment, achieved by only a handful of elite fighters in the promotion’s history. Alexander Volkanovski attempted the feat twice but fell short, losing both lightweight title challenges against the dominant champion, Islam Makhachev. Now, after reclaiming featherweight gold, the ‘Great’ eyes a third chance—this time targeting Ilia Topuria as his opponent.

After Topuria vacated the UFC featherweight title, Volkanovski was granted another opportunity to reclaim his former championship. Despite being 36 years old, Volkanovski defied expectations by defeating rising star Diego Lopes via. unanimous decision to regain the featherweight belt. In a recent interview, he expressed interest in facing Topuria again, this time for the prestigious lightweight championship title.

Imagine that, if he were to win [lightweight title] and then we have a rematch at lightweight. It doens’t get bigger than that. That’s a perfect world for me.

Alexander Volkanovski via The Ariel Helwani Show 

For that to happen, Topuria must defeat Makhachev and claim the UFC lightweight championship, an incredibly difficult challenge. Topuria has actively campaigned for this opportunity over recent months, though his request for a title shot was already denied. Makhachev and his team believe that beating Topuria wouldn’t enhance his legacy, dismissing the matchup as unworthy and unnecessary.

However, recent developments indicate both Makhachev and Topuria have simultaneously begun their training camps, sparking intense speculations. This has fueled widespread rumors about a potential superfight headlining the UFC’s prestigious International Fight Week event in Las Vegas. UFC CEO Dana White recently hinted that a major announcement involving both stars could be coming very soon.

Heading into the fight, Topuria will likely be the underdog due to Makhachev’s superior experience and size advantage. Volkanovski, who has shared the Octagon with both men, believes Topuria has the knockout power to stop Makhachev cold. That outcome would perfectly align with Volkanovski’s hopes of securing a high-stakes title rematch against the Georgian-Spanish superstar.

Ilia Topuria wasn’t annoyed with Alexander Volkanovski reclaiming the featherweight title 

Ilia Topuria’s featherweight title run was dominant and nearly flawless, showcasing elite skill and composure throughout his rapid rise. He earned his title shot by knocking out several top contenders, then defeated Alexander Volkanovski by knockout at UFC 298. However, many fans and analysts believe Volkanovski’s prior knockout loss to Islam Makhachev significantly affected his performance in that bout.

Ilia Topuria's reaction to Alexander Volkanovski's title win
Ilia Topuria’s reaction to Alexander Volkanovski’s title win (via X)

However, Topuria silenced critics by knocking out featherweight legend Max Holloway, known for his durability and elite boxing skills. Following that performance, Topuria vacated the title but recently expressed happiness seeing Volkanovski reclaim the featherweight championship again. Despite the rivalry, the mutual respect between the fighters was palpable. 

I won. I defended. Right now, I have a completely different challenge in front of me. I wish him nothing but the best and to everyone, I wish the best wins all the time…..He’s so great. I was so happy for him this this Saturday because he really deserves to get that title back.

Ilia Topuria via JRE MMA Show #166

By reclaiming the belt, Volkanovski became the first fighter over 35 years old in the lower weight division to win a UFC title. His emotional comeback fight, coupled with his heartfelt speech, deeply inspired the entire MMA community. It remains to be seen whether his second title reign will be as dominant and impactful as his previous successful championship run.

He has already been called out by top featherweight contenders such as Yair Rodriguez, Movsar Evloev, and Jean Silva. While Evloev has the best undefeated streak, Rodriguez’s last win against Patricio Pitbull was incredible. It would be interesting to see what’s next for Volkanovski as he defends his belt in his next outing.