Maybe a trilogy fight will happen down the line, but right now, UFC featherweight champion Alexander Volkanovski isn’t interested in another immediate rematch against former titleholder Max Holloway.
Twice Volkanovski (22-1 MMA, 9-0 UFC) has competed against Holloway (21-6 MMA, 17-6 UFC) – and twice he has won by decision.
Despite UFC president Dana White recently voicing his consideration of another rematch between the two fighters, Volkanovski doesn’t think a third fight vs. Holloway makes sense – at least at the moment.
“It’s pretty clear when you win back-to-back, two wins in a row, to make a third one, it doesn’t really make sense – especially right now,” Volkanovski told Submission Radio in a recent interview. “Again, we know that last fight was close but the judges gave me the decision and that’s that. In the first fight, even though it was competitive, I pretty clearly won that fight. To just give him another rematch straight away and put the division on hold, it just doesn’t really make sense.”
While White tossed out the idea of Volkanovski vs. Holloway 3 being the next 145-pound title fight, the UFC president had a hunch the champion wouldn’t be interested. Volkanovski echoed the sentiments White predicted, citing the logjam of contenders at the top of the division.
“(White) was throwing it out there but at the same time, he was saying the exact thing I’m saying,” Volkanovski said. “In this division, we’ve got all these guys about to fight. By the end of the year, we’re going to have a clear No. 1 – and you’re going to just keep giving Max rematches? … I won twice in back-to-back (fights). You know what I mean? It just doesn’t really make sense right now. Again, it’s definitely something that can be a big fight in the future, as well.”
UFC featherweight contenders “The Korean Zombie” Chan Sung Jung, Zabit Magomedsharipov, Brian Ortega, and Yair Rodriguez are all rumored to be competing in the coming months. Volkanovski is interested in fighting a fresh face. New England’s Calvin Kattar also recently threw his name in the hat with a win over Dan Ige.
“For right now, I’ve got a division I want to hold and I don’t want to keep on hold,” Volkanovski said. “You know what I mean? I want No. 1 contenders. I want some fresh blood in there. We’ll see who that is.”
Alexander Volkanovski: Another Max Holloway rematch 'doesn't really make sense' right now