After an extremely spectacular efficiency at UFC 290, Alexander Volkanovski has additional proved that he’s amongst, if not the pound-for-pound biggest, fighters on this planet in the mean time. An completely dominant show over excessive flying interim champion Yair Rodriguez has ensured that he’s nonetheless the king of the featherweights, but there seems to be a number of paths he may go down in regard to his subsequent combat.
Three Fights that Make Sense for Alexander Volkanovski
Islam Makhachev
Good luck this week @alexvolkanovski pic.twitter.com/zL14Wx4jBa
— Makhachev Islam (@MAKHACHEVMMA) July 6, 2023
A rematch that many followers want to see, Islam Makhachev is the present light-weight champion of the UFC. Volkanovski beforehand made the transfer as much as 155 lbs. in an try to dethrone Makhachev and obtain the coveted double-champion standing.
In a carefully contested combat, Makhachev was awarded the victory in a contest that many scored for the featherweight champ Volkanovski. Nearly instantly after the combat, talks of a rematch have been being mentioned and with Makhachev slated to be preventing on a card in October in Abu Dhabi, Volkanovski has repeatedly acknowledged that he would like to make the combat occur.
Many pundits had anticipated the light-weight division’s primary contender and former champion Charles Oliveira to face towards Makhachev in a rematch, however the Brazilian has repeatedly acknowledged that he won’t be prepared in October. This implies a rematch between champions could possibly be a really actual risk for the autumn of this yr.
Ilia Topuria
If Volkanovski needs to remain in his personal division, choices have emerged right here additionally. At one level, it was felt by many who Volkanovski had basically cleared out the 145 lbs. division and had basically ran out of contenders to combat. Nonetheless this has just lately modified with the emergence of Ilia Topuria.
Topuria is 6-0 within the UFC and has only in the near past defeated Josh Emmett. Emmett was coming off of a title combat loss to Yair Rodriguez for the interim championship and was instantly seeking to bounce again shortly to make his method again into the title image. “CCO” was completely outclassed by Topuria and was crushed from pillar to put up dropping a unanimous determination. One decide’s scorecard even learn 50-42, marking the looks of the extremely uncommon 10-7 spherical.
The style during which Topuria dispatched Emmett, who’s among the many greatest within the division and was coming off of a title combat has followers and pundits alike enthusiastic about this new challenger. At the moment sitting at quantity 5 within the division rankings, Topuria is the one man within the top-5 who has not been crushed by Alex Volkanovski or Max Holloway and this recent face is precisely what featherweight division wants.
Aljamain Sterling
Aljamain Sterling is the present champion at bantamweight and has acknowledged quite a few instances that his upcoming combat with Sean O’ Malley shall be his final within the division whatever the consequence. Having at all times been a big 135er, the “Funkmaster” has acknowledged just lately that the burden lower has turn into increasingly more grueling and has repeated his intention on transferring as much as featherweight.
This could be a large combat as Sterling would absolutely be granted an instantaneous title shot upon his arrival to the featherweight division. He’s among the many most adorned bantamweight champions in UFC historical past and with a win over O’ Malley, could have set a report variety of defenses within the division with 4. He has crushed the likes of Henry Cejudo and TJ Dillashaw and can really be thought-about as one of many bantamweight GOATS on the finish of his profession. A combat towards Volkanovski can be large for the legacies of each males and permits Sterling the chance to turn into a double champion. It flip, it permits Volkanovski so as to add one other former champion to his already extraordinarily spectacular resume.
What Makes the Most Sense
It might appear to take advantage of sense for Volkanovski to remain at featherweight. With yet one more title win underneath the Australian champion’s belt, “Volk” would prime the featherweight title protection report set by the now UFC Corridor of Famer Jose Aldo. Whereas after all, there’s a huge urge for food among the many fanbase to see the rematch with Makhachev, it might be a disgrace for Volkanovski to desert the featherweight weight class when he’s so near affirming himself as the best of all time within the division.
