UFC featherweight champion Alexander Volkanovski may move to lightweight if he successfully defends his title against Ilia Topuria at UFC 298, according to UFC lead commentator Jon Anik.
Alexander Volkanovski’s been dropping hints. He’s been toying with the idea of shifting to lightweight. If he manages to keep his featherweight title against Ilia Topuria in UFC 298’s main event, Jon Anik, the UFC’s lead commentator, thinks it’s a done deal.
Anik’s reasoning? Volkanovski’s been dropping these hints even before the fight. If he can take down Topuria, given how people are talking about this title defense, it’d be a fitting end to his featherweight career. That’s what Anik told MMA Fighting.
And what a way to go out, right? Moving up to 155 pounds, back to the prizefighting theme.
There’s a world of big fights waiting for Volkanovski at 155 pounds. Imagine him in a BMF setting. A fight against Justin Gaethje? Now that’s appealing. So, the future looks pretty lucrative for Volk, regardless of the division he chooses. But hey, we can hope he’ll fight Movsar Evloev, even if it seems unlikely.
Anik’s all set to call UFC 298 this Saturday. He’ll be at the Honda Center in Anaheim, Calif., with Joe Rogan and former middleweight champ Michael Bisping.
Volkanovski’s undefeated in the UFC at 145 pounds. But 2024 hasn’t been kind. He defended his title spectacularly against Yair Rodriguez in July. But he suffered two losses to lightweight champ Islam Makhachev.
Topuria’s stepping into his first UFC title fight undefeated. He’s fresh off a one-sided win over Josh Emmett at UFC Jacksonville in June.
Most of the MMA world’s focused on March’s UFC 299 and April’s UFC 300. But Anik’s reminding fans not to overlook UFC 298, especially the main card and main event.
Volkanovski vs. Topuria? One of the biggest fights of the year, according to Anik. When he spoke to Topuria in December, the fighter seemed ready to face a potentially vulnerable Volkanovski. Not many opponents would admit that.
Fans have suggested it’s a good time to take down Volkanovski. He’s just coming off a knockout loss to Islam Makhachev. That’s why the fight’s happening in February, not January.
But both Topuria and Volkanovski are brimming with self-belief. Anik’s former broadcast partner, Brian Stann, often talks about manifestation and self-belief. Topuria’s fearless. He believes in the work he’s been doing, even if no one’s been paying attention.
In December, Anik asked Topuria when his coaches would get some recognition. They’re underrated, but that could change if he wins the world championship on Feb. 17th. But let’s be real, there’s never a good time to face Volkanovski. Especially after last year’s events.
This is a big fight. It’s Volkanovski’s sixth title defense. Some argue it could be his toughest fight and title defense yet. We’ll have our answers soon.