{"id":453415,"date":"2026-02-02T10:26:14","date_gmt":"2026-02-02T10:26:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/453415\/"},"modified":"2026-02-02T10:26:14","modified_gmt":"2026-02-02T10:26:14","slug":"whos-next-for-champ-alexander-volkanovski","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/453415\/","title":{"rendered":"Who’s next for champ Alexander Volkanovski?"},"content":{"rendered":"

Feb. 1, 2026, 3:30 p.m. ET<\/p>\n

Alexander Volkanovski<\/a> proved once again why he’s “The Great” at UFC 325<\/a> when he logged the first defense in his second featherweight title reign against Diego Lopes<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Volkanovski (28-4 MMA, 15-3 UFC) delivered a vintage performance where he largely shut down Lopes’ (27-8 MMA, 6-3 UFC) game over five rounds for a unanimous decision<\/a> in Saturday’s headliner at Qudos Bank Arena in Sydney.<\/p>\n

After Volkanovski won the first meeting<\/a> on the scorecards back at UFC 314 in April, the rematch was needless in the eyes of many. Lopes couldn’t find new or unique ways to test the champ, and although Volkanovski went on to tie Jose Aldo for most title-fight victories in featherweight history, the win itself doesn’t enhance his resume all that much.<\/p>\n

Volkanovski made it clear for months prior to the rematch booking that he fancied one of the division’s undefeated contenders instead. He said giving Movsar Evloev or Lerone Murphy their first loss in MMA would’ve been a more valuable win than a repeat over Lopes, and he was right.<\/p>\n

Thankfully, Volkanovski doesn’t appear headed toward retirement just yet and his win has somewhat dimmed those talks. By all indications, the 37-year-old wants to do this a few more times, and his message about what he wants after UFC 325 was clear.<\/p>\n

“I’ve got a responsibility. I talk about having a responsibility as a champion. I don’t think enough champions look at it that way,” Volkanovski said at the UFC 325 post-fight press conference. “For me, I look at it as a responsibility.<\/p>\n

“There are rankings for a reason, people that deserve it. If someone does get in, I’ll still be active enough to give the people that deserve it a chance anyway, so they don’t have to wait that long. But if I’m just going to keep letting other people cut the line, then I’m not really doing my part either.”<\/p>\n

Volkanovski went on to reiterate he wants either Evloev (19-0 MMA, 9-0 UFC) or Murphy (17-0-1 MMA, 9-0-1 UFC) next and do right by the division. With all signs pointing to those two meeting in the UFC London main event in March (though it’s still not official), then the clear contender should emerge.<\/p>\n

It should be that simple, and hopefully UFC doesn’t make it any more complicated. It doesn’t feel like anything was gained from this rematch against Lopes, but Volkanovski did it anyway. Now the promotion needs to give the champ something that’ll better benefit his record in the long run.<\/p>\n

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