Alexander Volkanovski Deserves a Lightweight Title Fight
At UFC 276, Alexander Volkanovski and Max Holloway fought for the third time. In the fight, Volkanovski cemented his legacy defeating Holloway by a score of 50-45. Volkanovski now has three wins over Holloway plus wins over Brian Ortega, Chan Sung Jung, Jose Aldo, and Chad Mendes. It has become abundantly clear that Volkanovski is miles ahead of the featherweight division. As a result, Volkanovski has earned an opportunity to chase double champ status and fight for the lightweight belt.
Volkanovski has cleaned out the featherweight division
The work that Volkanovski has put in at 145-pounds has been impeccable. The division is cleaned out. I cannot sit here and reasonably make a case for any fighter having the skills to beat Volkanovski. In terms of deserving a title shot, Volkanovski has beaten everyone in the top five outside of Josh Emmett and Yair Rodriguez. I really like both of these fighters, but I do not think they have done enough to deserve a title opportunity.
Rodriguez will fight Ortega on July 16. The winner of this bout should fight Emmett in a number one contender bout. If this is what happens, Volkanovski will have enough time to fight for the lightweight belt and return to featherweight to fight the rightful No. 1 contender.
The lightweight title picture
Right now, the lightweight title picture is complicated. Charles Oliveira was the champion, but he lost the belt at the scales before 274. After beating Justin Gaethje he was named the No. 1 contender. It is a strange situation but that is where we are at.
From a stylistic standpoint, a fight between Oliveira and Volkanovski is one of the most interesting and entertaining fights that the UFC can make. In the pound-for-pound rankings, Volkanovski sits at No. 2 while Oliveira sits at No. 4. Needless to say, a fight between the two will get the attention of MMA fans worldwide.
Islam Makhachev would be the loser of this situation. Makhachev was going to get a title shot before Volkanovski joined the conversation. However, that may not be a bad thing. Makhachev has looked great in the UFC but short-notice wins over Dan Hooker and Bobby Green do not scream title-shot. He can fight Beneil Dariush to legitimize his status as a top contender.
The issue
There is one issue for any fighter that attempts to achieve double champ status. What happens if they become a double champ? Volkanovski answered this question in his octagon interview at UFC 276.
“I want to be busy,” Volkanovski said. “I don’t think this division (featherweight) itself can keep me busy. I want to move up, go for double champ, and I’ll keep two divisions busy.
Quote from UFC
Volkanovski’s willingness to defend both belts increases the chance that he gets an opportunity to become a double champ. In that scenario, the UFC does not have to worry about his vacating a belt and leaving a division without a champ. Regardless, he has done enough to earn a lightweight title shot.
