UFC featherweight champion Alexander Volkanovski is willing to give Aljamain Sterling a title shot if he beats Max Holloway.
‘The Great’ is currently slated to return at UFC 298 next February against Ilia Topuria. For Alexander Volkanovski, the bout will be his first since a knockout loss to Islam Makhachev in October. It also comes at a time, when the division is welcoming a former champion in the form of Aljamain Sterling. He made the announcement late last month, ending speculation about his future.
‘The Funk Master’ hasn’t been seen in the octagon since a knockout loss to Sean O’Malley in August. Following that victory, Aljamain Sterling called for an instant rematch with ‘Sugar’. However, the newly crowned champion later booked a rematch with Marlon Vera. As a result, Sterling began looking at a move upwards.
Earlier today, Alexander Volkanovski was asked about Aljamain Sterling’s move to featherweight. There, he made it clear that if the former bantamweight champion can defeat Max Holloway, he will give him a title shot. While ‘Blessed’ hasn’t discussed the potential bout, ‘The Funk Master’ called for it last month, when announcing his move to featherweight.
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Image via: @funkmastermma on Instagram
“Look man he’s a good fighter,” Alexander Volkanovski responded on The MMA Hour when asked about Aljamain Sterling’s upcoming move to featherweight in 2024. “I can see what he’s doing. He knows that he’s like, alright, I won’t get a title fight anytime soon. But look, he takes out Max [Holloway], he’s next [for a title shot]. It’s that simple.”
He continued, “He knows that, and good on him. He’s game, you know what I mean? He knows the clear path to that title. He knows ‘I’m not getting it now, no way I’m going for champ-champ right now, but if I fight, I can be one fight away from a title if I take out Max.’ I’m sure he knows that it’s a tough fight.”
Alexander Volkanovski concluded, “But he just looks at it ‘That’s how I get to the title’. Good on him, you have to respect that.”
While Aljamain Sterling and Alexander Volkanovski seem in favor of this matchup, Max Holloway seemingly has different ideas. In recent weeks, ‘Blessed’ has called for a potential move to lightweight, to face ‘BMF’ titleholder Justin Gaethje. ‘The Highlight’ captured the symbolic championship with a win over Dustin Poirier in July.
While Gaethje seemingly has his eyes on a title shot against Islam Makhachev, he might instead share the cage with Max Holloway. If that fight fails to come together, it now seems that the Hawaiian has a ready opponent in the form of Aljamain Sterling.
There’s no timetable for the two’s return, but the former featherweight champion has shown interest in competing on UFC 300 in April.
What do you make of these comments from UFC featherweight champion Alexander Volkanovski? Do you believe he’ll one day share the octagon with Aljamain Sterling?
