Alexander Volkanovski: Second win over Max Holloway would give me respect I deserve

Alexander Volkanovski has been on one undeniably great run. The Australia competitor has won 18 straight fights, including all eight of his UFC bouts.

This stretch culminated with a victory over another competitor who put together a classic run at 145 pounds, Max Holloway. Volkanovski (21-1 MMA, 8-0 UFC) took the featherweight belt from Holloway with a unanimous decision at UFC 245.

Volkanovski, however, has decided that once is not quite enough. He wants a rematch with the former champion, and he believes that a convincing win a second time around puts him at or near the top of the all-time list in his division.

“I want that fight, beacuse there’s no clear No. 1 contenders, and I just think that he’s a great champion,” Volkanovski recently told TMZ. “And, for me, the biggest fight in my career right now to solidify myself as the best featherweight of all-time, and one of the greatest of all-time. I go and take out Max twice in his prime, ya know, people are gonna give me the respect I deserve.”

While Volkanovski got a 50-45 scorecard from one judge in their first fight, the other two went 48-47 in his favor, which meant Holloway was one round off on those cards from retaining his title.

He’s a little bit biased, but Volkanovski said that while the bout was competitive, he sees eye-to-eye with the 50-45 judge.

“I can see why he might have felt that, but I think once you watch back the tape I think he would have changed his mind a little bit,” Volkanovski said. “I think he would have seen that I won. Obviously I believe it was competitive, but I believe that I won every round. I truly believe that you know, from the, I know the game and I truly believe I won in all aspects, you know.

“I think I was controlling, I think I landed the biggest shots … I broke my hand in that fight as, a lot of people thought I was slowing down in the end but obviously I know I had the fight won.”

There would seem to be a date tailored-made for the rematch, assuming the COVID-19 pandemic allows: UFC 251 on June 6 in Perth, Australia.

“I don’t want to sit on the sidelines too long, and I wanna defend my belt in Australia. That Perth card is June 6. We’re gonna make it happen, I reckon.”