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PERTH, Australia – UFC featherweight champion Alexander Volkanovski isn’t wanting previous his upcoming job, however has his eye on an enormous potential matchup if he claims the light-weight title.
First, the No. 1 pound-for-pound fighter Volkanovski (25-1 MMA, 12-0 UFC) has a large take a look at on his arms in the principle occasion of UFC 284. The occasion takes place in his personal yard Saturday at RAC Enviornment in Perth, Australia. The principle card airs on pay-per-view following prelims on ESPN and early prelims on ESPN+.
Standing throughout the cage from him might be light-weight champ Islam Makhachev, who is taken into account by some to be No. 2 on the P4P listing. It’s a large struggle, and a possibility for Volkanovski to etch his title in historical past as a two-division champion.
Ought to “The Nice” be simply that and attain his purpose of changing into the king of the featherweight and light-weight divisions, he could be open to a title problem in opposition to Conor McGregor, the Irish famous person who as soon as achieved the identical feat.
McGregor might be returning to motion to face former light-weight title challenger Michael Chandler after the pair full their teaching assignments on the upcoming season of “The Final Fighter.” If McGregor can defeat Chandler, Volkanovski is aware of there might be requires McGregor to get one other shot at gold.
“That simply places Conor proper again within the conversations for the belt and all that sort of stuff,” Volkanovski instructed reporters at UFC 284 media day. “For individuals to say he wouldn’t deserve it and there’s no approach they’re going to do this, you’re fairly loopy, proper? It’s Conor McGregor, and if he takes out somebody like Chandler, you realize his title goes to be talked about. individuals are going to be speaking about him.”
McGregor final competed for a UFC title at UFC 229 in a shedding effort in opposition to Khabib Nurmagomedov. He rebounded with a first-round stoppage of Donald Cerrone at UFC 246, however then suffered a pair of setbacks in rematches with Dustin Poirier, the newest leading to a nasty damaged ankle.
Regardless of these hurdles, McGregor stays one of many largest names within the sport, who all the time appears to be one struggle away from one other shot at a UFC title. The previous two-division champ brings the title worth and the fanfare to justify his place, and that’s simply fantastic with the person who plans to carry two belts after Saturday’s occasion.
“It’s good to take a look at as a result of I plan on taking that light-weight belt and I’m seeing what’s occurring within the division,” Volkanovski mentioned. “There’s numerous potential matchups after this one, however clearly first, I’ve acquired to fret about what’s in entrance of me.”
For extra on the cardboard, go to MMA Junkie’s occasion hub for UFC 284.
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