The UFC has yet to announce its full lineup of pay-per-view events for 2025, with only UFC 311 and UFC 312 confirmed so far. Rumors have circulated that Alex Pereira might return at UFC 313, although this remains unconfirmed. Meanwhile, former featherweight champion Alexander Volkanovski has expressed interest in a potential fight with Pereira, stating he would take on ‘Poatan’ if the payday is worthwhile.
Volkanovski, following two consecutive losses, recently discussed a potential fight with Alex Pereira during a fan Q&A. Despite Pereira’s size and knockout power, Volkanovski emphasized a tactical approach, relying on takedowns and grappling rather than striking. He acknowledged the challenge but admitted the financial incentive makes the matchup tempting. Speaking on his YouTube channel, he remarked,
“The price is right I’ll do it, I would…I’m a confident guy but I ain’t going to stand there with that bloke, let’s be real. I’ll go for everything hoping I could get that takedown cause if you don’t you’re gonna be in for some hurt and that’s for sure”
Although the former featherweight champion has previously competed in the lightweight division, a move to light heavyweight seems unlikely. Still, fans are eagerly awaiting the return of ‘The Great’ to the octagon.
Alexander Volkanovski Confirms Next Fight Won’t Be for #1 Contender Spot Before Alex Pereira’s Comments
Making the jump to face Pereira in a higher-weight class would be a difficult challenge for Volkanovski. However, he is focusing on a major comeback in 2025, targeting a title shot. He recently revealed potential options for his next fight, including a rematch with Ilia Topuria in Spain or a bout at UFC 312 in Sydney, Australia. Volkanovski dismissed rumors of a fight with Lopes, labeling them as fan speculation. He addressed this on his YouTube channel, saying:
“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.”
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Volkanovski has experienced title fight losses to Islam Makhachev and Ilia Topuria. Despite this, fans have speculated that Diego Lopes, a fan favorite, could be his comeback opponent. Lopes has also expressed interest in facing “The Great” for his return to the octagon. Fans are eagerly waiting for an official update from the UFC on Volkanovski’s next fight.
Also Read: Alexander Volkanovski Backs Islam Makhachev Amidst Exciting Double Champ Discussions
