Alexander Volkanovski would retire after Gaethje fight following Movsar Evloev win
The featherweight champion said he would walk away win or lose after a shot at Gaethje's lightweight title, and UFC CEO Dana White has admitted the promotion would be hard-pressed to deny him.
Post by @ufc on X
Alexander Volkanovski has offered to make a fight with lightweight champion Justin Gaethje the last of his career, saying he would retire whatever the result. The featherweight champion made the offer after finishing the previously undefeated Movsar Evloev in the UFC 333 main event in Abu Dhabi on Saturday.
The proposal is built to avoid stalling either division. Volkanovski has said he is open to defending his featherweight title again, but he has also been pushing for a move up to 155lb, where he has twice failed to win the belt. UFC CEO Dana White has admitted that, given everything Volkanovski has achieved, the promotion would be hard-pressed to deny him what he wants.
Speaking at the post-fight press conference, Volkanovski suggested it could be a retirement fight for both men, a superfight between two 38-year-olds that would leave the younger contenders to sort out the titles. He said: “Win or lose, retire; then it’s vacant, so I’m not holding the division up.” He added that if he took the lightweight belt and then vacated it, the rest of the division would carry on fighting for it regardless. Without that opportunity, he said, he would take his career one fight at a time.
Gaethje does not have to be the opponent. Arman Tsarukyan is widely seen as the rightful next challenger for the lightweight title, and Volkanovski said he would be just as happy to face Tsarukyan if he becomes champion first. He stressed that he has always believed title shots must be earned, and that while he feels he has earned one, many others at lightweight have too. Volkanovski said: “So, if I can do this and not hold the division up, I’d love it.” On the win over Evloev, Volkanovski said he had been confident of stopping him. He said: “I wanted to get the finish, I believed I could get the finish, and here we are.”
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