The ‘Rumors Are True’, Says Champ Alexander Volkanovski About His Next Title Defense

Champ Alexander Volkanovski shares the latest update on his first PPV title defense and it will seemingly be against Yair Rodriguez.

The ‘Rumors Are True’, Says Champ Alexander Volkanovski About His Next Title Defense

Alexander Volkanovski shares next title defense update (Source: X)

Yair Rodriguez has had only one agenda on his mind: snagging UFC 145-pound title. To that end, former interim champ Rodriguez was already looking forward to a rematch with the champ — Alexander Volkanovski. The Aussie legend won the vacant gold and started a second reign at the UFC 314 PPV main event.

However, does longtime contender Yair Rodriguez deserve to be his first defense? Russian featherweight Movsar Evloev is yet undefeated and rightfully in a spot for a title crack. Alexander Volkanovski himself has acknowledged that he won’t miss out on the Team ATT fighter. The consensus belief, too, was that Evloev would get it, or that it’d be a far-off race with Rodriguez.

The Mexican featherweight is an even 2-2 in his last few and nowhere near an effective name. However, one of those busts came against Volk; he currently stands 1-1 since losing to Volk in 2023. The champ has now all but confirmed that rumors of a Volkanovski vs. Rodriguez PPV title rematch are all true.

It’s pretty clear [Now] that it wasn’t gonna be Movsar, …That’s who I thought it would be. Obviously, him being undefeated and on the sort of a tear that he’s on…You’ve seen him tweet something about that. So, he already went out and made that public that he unfortunately can’t fight for the title. Yair’s name has popped up. No dates are set right now…All I can tell you is everyone pretty much knows the situation, and the rumors you’re hearing are pretty much true, but nothing’s locked in.

Alexander Volkanovski to FOX Sports Australia for MAIN EVENT PPV (@MainEventTV)

With the newly minted buzz around “The Great,” rumor was that he’d return for a PPV title billing for UFC Guadalajara. Mexico’s name, “El Pantera,” was the clear choice above Evloev for this pairing. However, $21,829,245 in live gate result or not, locale or locale-based themes like the Annual Noche PPV card at the Sphere is now one-and-done. UFC parent TKO Group Holdings has put restrictive cost-control pauses in favor of thematic roadshows.

Hence, Guadalajara for Noche UFC 2025 is now shifted to Frost Bank Center in San Antonio, Texas; thus no need to be strictly Rodiguez. It’s also a Fight Night rather than a select PPV offering. Evloev has often argued hard for his rightful place to be the top seed for undisputed gold. Hence, he again got lifted to be top choice for it.

The Russian star even presented a top contender’s matchup against Rodriguez, but the latter seemingly refused. Volkanovski has confirmed the rumblings are all true, and Evloev is again a step further back from gold.

Fight fans do not like Movsar Evloev title snub in favor of Yair Rodriguez PPV title rematch

It was a gripping promotional standpoint and Mexico theme when the consensus was that a possible ‘Volkanovski vs. Rodriguez 2’ PPV headliner could be slated for UFC 320, the Noche UFC in Guadalajara. But now that it’s not, very little about it makes sense.

Fans diss proable Yair Rodriguez vs. Alexander Volkanovski matchmaking
Fans diss proable Yair Rodriguez vs. Alexander Volkanovski matchmaking (Source: X)

Yair Rodriguez has a big name and reeled off a dominant win at UFC 314. There, he defeated former two-division Bellator champ Patricio Freire. However, he was on a two-fight losing streak prior. For another, Alexander Volkanovski trounced him hard two years back, so it wasn’t a competitive offering to bank on, again and again.

Say, UFC 310, for example. Evloev doesn’t boast flashy finishers but went to a course of hyperintelligent wrestle-heavy game against former UFC 135-pound champ Aljamain Sterling. He defeated the likes of Diego Lopes, Sterling, and Arnold Allen, riding on the longest active competition win streak in a division (9). However, the No. 4-ranked contender recently said he won’t be fighting for gold.

To that end, the Russian even congratulated Alexander Volkanovski with rumblings putting both of them elsewhere. Here is what fans think of it:

There’s a clear path to adding Yair Rodriguez to the Noche UFC lineup, which is another odd cog in the matchmaking. He harbors a profound history and banter with recent title challenger Lopes. It was the perfect next match-up and an ideal PPV five-rounder for UFC 320, which will not be anymore if Rodriguez merits the next 145-pound title shot.

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