Alexander Volkanovski has shed some light on the postponement of his next UFC title defense.
The UFC featherweight champion said a positive COVID-19 test led to the cancellation of his championship bout against Brian Ortega, which was scheduled to take place March 27 at UFC 260 in Las Vegas. The bout was set to co-headline the pay-per-view event.
In a statement posted on his social media, Volkanovski said he’s “devastated” about the cancellation and hopes for a quick return.
— Alex Volkanovski (@alexvolkanovski) March 21, 2021
Not long after Volkanovski’s post, Ortega posted a response on his social media wishing the champion a smooth recovery so they can get rebooked for a future event (via Instagram):
Volkanovski (22-1 MMA, 9-0 UFC) is riding a 19-fight winning streak into his second UFC title defense attempt. Following six straight wins to kick off his UFC tenure, Volkanovski defeated then-champion Max Holloway by unanimous decision at UFC 245 in December 2019.
Seven months later at UFC 251 in July 2020, Volkanovski and Holloway fought for a second time. Volkanovski successfully defended his title for the first time when he defeated Holloway by split decision.
In October, Ortega (15-1 w. 1 NC MMA, 7-1 UFC) returned from a 22-month absence from competition. Over the course of five rounds, Ortega dominated surging contender Chan Sung Jung for a unanimous decision and reentered the win column following a devastating title shot loss to Holloway in December 2018.