Chael Sonnen calls Volkanovski's Gaethje retirement pitch 'one of the dumbest ideas' he's heard
Sonnen said that if Volkanovski wants to test himself at lightweight, he should give up the featherweight title and move up with no guarantees.
Chael Sonnen has hit out at Alexander Volkanovski's proposal for a fight with lightweight champion Justin Gaethje in which both men would retire afterwards. "Volkanovski just laid out one of the dumbest ideas I've ever heard," Sonnen said on his YouTube channel.
Volkanovski made the pitch after stopping Movsar Evloev in the second round to keep his featherweight title at UFC 333 on Saturday. Under his plan, both men would walk away win or lose, so neither division is held up. Dana White suggested after UFC 333 that it would be hard to deny Volkanovski many requests.
Sonnen called the idea "a cop out". He said that if Volkanovski wants to test himself at 155lb, he should give up the featherweight belt and move up with no guarantee. Sonnen pointed to Ilia Topuria, who gave up his featherweight title, and to Max Holloway, who moved up to 155lb with no guarantee.
Volkanovski has moved up to fight for the lightweight title twice before, against Islam Makhachev, without giving up his featherweight belt. He lost both fights.
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