LAS VEGAS – It wasn’t easy, but Alexander Volkanovski got the job done.
At Saturday’s UFC 245, Volkanovski (21-1 MMA, 8-0 UFC) took Max Holloway five rounds before being announced the unanimous decision winner to become the new UFC featherweight champion.
When talking to reporters backstage post-fight, Volkanosvki proudly displayed his newly earned title belt on the table. It wasn’t easy, but the fight was a job well done in the eyes of the promotion’s first Australian-born champ.
“It was a tough one for me,” Volkanovski said. “I stay so composed in there. I’ve got a job to do, right? When I’m in there? I’ve always said that I keep myself level-headed and composed.
“… Obviously, I thought I was winning, but I didn’t know. My corner did a really good job of letting me know that and not getting caught up into his game. My shins are a little sore, but my gameplan went well. So it was good. Again, I was saying, we’re both very high level. It was a chess match in there, and I got the job done.”
With the victory, Volkanovksi ended the 1,100 day title reign of Holloway (21-5 MMA, 17-5 UFC), who suffered his first loss at featherweight since an August 2013 defeat to Conor McGregor. Holloway competed and won 15 times at 145 pounds from 2013-2019, winning every bout – except Volkanovski. He successfully defended his belt twice prior to UFC 245 against Brian Ortega and Jose Aldo, respectively.
So that bares the question: Was Holloway’s run as champion enough to warrant an immediate rematch?
UFC president Dana White voiced the possibility a rematch could be next. If that’s the direction the UFC wants to go, Volkanovski is willing and able.
“I think he deserves it,” Volkanovski said. “Do I have to beat him to prove I’m a better fighter? I think we had five rounds to do, and I’m pretty sure I won it pretty clearly. But anyways, people are still going to doubt. They’re still going to. But I’ll be ready for it, and he does deserve it.”
If he gets another Holloway-centric training camp under his belt, Volkanovski indicated he could look even better a second time around. There are still adjustments to be made.
“I’ll be better prepared next time,” Volkanovski said. “I know we know what works. We’re going to get an even better formula. He might think he’ll get me figured out again, but I’m just too powerful. They go one way, I go another. That’s the thing. I’m so well rounded. I can just go anywhere with it.
The featherweight title bout was the UFC 245 co-main event. It aired on pay-per-view following prelims on ESPN2 and early prelims on UFC Fight Pass/ESPN+.
Check out Volkanovski’s full UFC 245 post-fight press conference in the video above.
Alexander Volkanovksi welcomes Max Holloway rematch: 'I'll be ready for it, and he does deserve it'