{"id":66349,"date":"2025-08-14T00:33:07","date_gmt":"2025-08-14T00:33:07","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/66349\/"},"modified":"2025-08-14T00:33:07","modified_gmt":"2025-08-14T00:33:07","slug":"alexander-volkanovski-vs-aaron-pico-australian-responds-to-american-rival-ahead-of-potential-title-fight-in-future-ufc-319-news","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/66349\/","title":{"rendered":"Alexander Volkanovski vs Aaron Pico, Australian responds to American rival ahead of potential title fight in future, UFC 319 news"},"content":{"rendered":"

Australia\u2019s UFC featherweight king Alexander Volkanovski has returned serve on a title challenge from hyped US newcomer Aaron Pico, declaring \u201cI mop the floor with him\u201d.<\/p>\n

A December title opportunity against \u2018Volk\u2019 likely goes up for grabs when Pico \u2013 after eight years starring in Bellator \u2013 makes his Octagon debut against undefeated Englishman Lerone Murphy in the co-main at UFC 319 on Sunday (AEST).<\/p>\n

Speaking with Fox Sports Australia this week<\/a>, Pico insisted the winner of this weekend\u2019s co-main should be catapulted straight into what is being whispered as a December title bout for the champ.<\/p>\n

UFC 319: Du Plessis vs Chimaev | SUN 17 AUG 12PM AEST | UFC Middleweight champion Dricus Du Plessis puts his title on the line against undefeated Khamzat Chimaev. | Order Now with Main Event on Kayo Sports.<\/a><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

DDP issues warning: “I’m the hunter” | 05:32<\/p>\n

The American also stressed he would beat \u2018The Great\u2019 \u2013 potentially by KO — and revealed he had never missed watching any of his UFC bouts.<\/p>\n

Speaking on Main Event Australia\u2019s Fight Week program however, Volkanovski had his chance to respond and did not hold back.<\/p>\n

Asked about Pico\u2019s suggestions that he would not only upset the Sydneysider, but likely knock him cold, the champ replied: \u201cYou\u2019ve gotta think that.<\/p>\n

\u201cThat is perfectly fine.<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd everyone has a puncher\u2019s chance.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe is an all-American wrestler (as well), but I\u2019ll tell you right now, what\u2019s the bet if we were to wrestle, I\u2019d embarrass him there anyway.<\/p>\n

\u201cA lot of people want to be like, \u2018I did this, I did that,\u2019 like I haven\u2019t faced them guys in the gym.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ve faced really good wrestlers much heavier than him, and trust me, I do alright.\u201d<\/p>\n

Pushed on the confidence of his challenger, the Aussie continued: \u201cHe\u2019s gotta have that confidence, right?<\/p>\n

READ MORE UFC<\/p>\n

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\u2018FOR SURE I BEAT VOLK\u2019: How American with no UFC wins could dethrone champ by Christmas<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2018No one in the world doing this\u2019: Crazy KO defining Australia\u2019s most hyped UFC prospect ever<\/a><\/p>\n

DDP late, Khamzat early? – Volk predicts | 02:24<\/p>\n

\u201c(But) I\u2019m not gonna really take it seriously until he goes and shows me something.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou\u2019ve done stuff in your other promotions \u2026 come over here, do it here, and alright, I\u2019ll look into it more.\u201d<\/p>\n

So as for Pico\u2019s chances come a December showdown?<\/p>\n

\u201cHe\u2019s only got a puncher\u2019s chance, I\u2019ll leave it at that,\u201d Volkanovski said.<\/p>\n

\u201cI reckon I would honestly \u2014 it excites me because I reckon I\u2019d crumble him in the wrestling department.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe might be good for one takedown, two takedowns.<\/p>\n

\u201cIf he even gets me down, I\u2019m straight back up — and watch him not want to clinch up anymore after that.<\/p>\n

\u201cHis best bet is to try and land a big shot.<\/p>\n

\u201cOther than that, I mop the floor with him.\u201d<\/p>\n

Whittaker reflects on De Ridder loss | 01:39<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Australia\u2019s UFC featherweight king Alexander Volkanovski has returned serve on a title challenge from hyped US newcomer Aaron…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":66350,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[570],"tags":[4972,52699,2095,64,63,689,786,52506,785,2782,2041,2067,677,52696,17831,85,52697,38445,21760,2614,52502,52698],"class_list":["post-66349","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-mma","tag-aaron-pico","tag-alexander-volkanoski","tag-america","tag-au","tag-australia","tag-australia-and-new-zealand","tag-fighting","tag-issues-warning","tag-mma","tag-nick-walshaw","tag-north-america","tag-northern-america","tag-oceania","tag-returned-serve","tag-robert-whittaker","tag-sports","tag-title-challenge","tag-title-defence","tag-title-fight","tag-united-states-of-america","tag-world-doing","tag-wrestling-department"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/66349","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=66349"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/66349\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/66350"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=66349"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=66349"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=66349"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}