UFC featherweight champion Alexander Volkanovski may not fight in January, but he is factored into the UFC’s plans for a February fight.
AUSTRALIA’S Alexander Volkanovski is set to return to the ring in February – a month after initially planned – as part of what shapes as a blockbuster 2024.
UFC president Dana White revealed on Tuesday morning that Volkanovski would be one of three champions to put their titles on the line in the first third of the new year.
In a video posted to social media, White announced the title fights that will headline three separate pay-per-views to open the new year – involving Volk, UFC middleweight champ Sean Strickland and new bantamweight No. 1 Sean O’Malley.
🚨THE CRAZY DANA WHITE JUST ANNOUNCED: Sean Strickland vs. – Dricus Du Plessis #UFC297 January 20 📍 -Alexander Volkanovski vs. Ilia Topuria #UFC298 February 📍 -Sean O’Malley vs. Marlon Vera #UFC299 March 📍 pic.twitter.com/SGquMU22N2
— mmamag.ma (@jamalsoussi10) November 7, 2023
Strickland, who won his title in Sydney by upsetting Israel Adesanya, will defend for the first time in January against South Africa’s Dricus Du Plessis – who earned his shot after defeating Australia’s Robert Whittaker in July.
Volkanovski will put his UFC featherweight title on the line against Ilia Topuria in February, with O’Malley to face Marlon Vera in March.
Currently, only Strickland has an official date — UFC 297 on January 21 in Toronto, Canada.
While Volkanovski had initially wanted to headline that card himself, he will now go back a month after being knocked out in his recent quest to upset UFC lightweight champion Islam Makhachev.
According to Ariel Helwani, while the UFC initially wanted to grant Volkanovski’s wish for a January 20 fight, the new plan calls for ‘The Great’ to put his gold on the line against Ilia Topuria in February.
“The current plan, although not yet finalized, is to have Islam Makhachev x Charles Oliveira 2 headlining UFC 297,” Helwani wrote. “This event, which has not yet been officially announced, is currently scheduled for January 20 in Toronto. The original plan for this main event bout was Volkanovski x Topuria, but it is now scheduled to take place at the February PPV. Raquel Pennington x Mayra Bueno Silva for the vacant batamweight title is also scheduled for this January card, as reported yesterday.
Many hoped Alexander Volkanovski would wait at least until spring to fight again, but he insisted he was fine and didn’t need much time. On his YouTube channel, Volkanovski explained why he didn’t think taking more time off would be beneficial: “Like I said, I’m the best version of myself inside and out. the cage, whenever I have a clear direction. » He will face a hungry opponent in Topuria, who is undefeated with a 14-0 record in professional MMA.
Volkanovski had not been beaten since 2013 before meeting Makhachev. This will be the first time a much wider audience will have the opportunity to see how he recovers from a knockout.
