After suffering two devastating knockout losses in title fights, featherweight star Alexander Volkanovski is gearing up for a memorable comeback in 2025. Volkanovski has repeatedly expressed his desire to aim for nothing less than a title shot upon his return. In a recent update, “The Great” shared new details about his next fight.
A potential rematch with Ilia Topuria in Spain, headlining at Real Madrid’s Santiago Bernabeu, is one option for Volkanovski’s 2025 comeback. Another is UFC 312 in Sydney, Australia, set for February. While Volkanovski is focused on a title fight, he dismissed rumors of a bout with Lopes, calling them fan-driven speculation.
“I think that was just, he’s obviously said, let’s do it in Sydney, and I think people just ran with that, but there’s no talks of that at all. Ahh, you never know, right? But NO! Obviously, we are fighting for the title, so that’s where we are going to mainly focus but we will see what happens. But there’s definitely nothing like that locked in,” the former featherweight champion said in his recent video on YouTube.
Volkanovski has suffered losses in title fights against Islam Makhachev and Ilia Topuria. However, fans have speculated that fan-favorite Diego Lopes might be his comeback opponent, with Lopes also expressing interest in giving “The Great” a chance for a return fight.
Diego Lopes Expresses Interest in Facing Alexander Volkanovski Amid Comeback Speculation
Diego Lopes is at the peak of his career, having headlined major events like UFC 300, 303, and 306. He is currently on a five-fight win streak. The Brazilian standout, who gained recognition with a short-notice win over Dan Ige and dominated Brian Ortega, is eyeing bigger challenges.
While a fight with No. 4-ranked Movsar Evloev is rumored, Lopes gave a condition that involved Volkanovski. “The only possibility this fight happens is if the UFC really says, ‘OK, you fight him and win, and you’re next for the belt.’ If that doesn’t happen, we’d like the possibility of fighting [Alexander] Volkanovski in December,” Lopes said.
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Since losing to Ilia Topuria at UFC 298 in February, Volkanovski’s return date and next opponent remain uncertain. However, Lopes continues to pursue a fight with the former champion. At the same time, Aljamain Sterling has shown interest in a featherweight clash with Lopes, leaving the Brazilian with multiple exciting options.
Also Read: Alexander Volkanovski Backs Islam Makhachev Amidst Exciting Double Champ Discussions
