Alexander Volkanovski knows what he wants next. He also has a backup.
The featherweight champion has made it clear he wants a superfight with Justin Gaethje to close out his career. Dana White has opened the door to it, but Gaethje still has to decide his next move after taking the lightweight title from Ilia Topuria in June.
If that fight doesn’t happen, Volkanovski told reporters Monday that Topuria is the name he wants.
Gaethje took that zero, can’t say that I got the chance to take that zero from him, but to get that win back would be great.
Nothing against him, obviously he’s a great fighter, great dude, we get along. But at the same time, I’m a competitor, and I would love to test myself against him.
Topuria knocked out Volkanovski in the second round at UFC 298 in February 2024 to take the featherweight title. It was Volkanovski’s second straight knockout loss. Topuria defended the belt once, against Max Holloway, before vacating to move up to lightweight.
Volkanovski won the vacant title by beating Diego Lopes in April 2025. He beat Lopes again in a rematch, then stopped Movsar Evloev in the second round on Saturday at UFC 333 in Abu Dhabi, handing Evloev his first career loss.
Volkanovski is 38, and he has said the Gaethje fight would be his last, win or lose.
