Could UFC featherweight champion Alexander Volkanovski retire after his next fight? It depends.
Volkanovski is set to defend his ******* le against Movsar Evloev in the main event of UFC 333 (Paramount+) on Oct. 24 at Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi. With roughly two months until the fight, Volkanovski, who turns 38 on Sept. 29, is open about the fact that retirement is a possibility.
"If things go terribly wrong, all right, we're done," Volkanovski said in an interview with Australia's 10 News. "If things go very well like the last one, no damage, go through, all right, we'll keep it rolling."
Volkanovski (28-4 MMA, 15-3 UFC) is in his second reign as 145-pound champion. During his first ******* le run, he defended the belt five time before Ilia Topuria knocked him out with a punch in February 2024, his second consecutive defeat by knockout after Islam Makhachev finished him with a head kick and punches four months earlier in a lightweight ******* le fight.
Many observers wondered then if Volkanovski was nearing the end of his career, but after Topuria vacated the featherweight ******* le, Volkanovski regained it by defeating Diego Lopes at UFC 314 and then successfully defended against Lopes in their rematch at UFC 325 this past February. Volkanovski will seek his second ******* le defends when he meets undefeated Evloev, who is 20-0 overally and 10-0 in the UFC.
#champion
Volkanovski is set to defend his ******* le against Movsar Evloev in the main event of UFC 333 (Paramount+) on Oct. 24 at Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi. With roughly two months until the fight, Volkanovski, who turns 38 on Sept. 29, is open about the fact that retirement is a possibility.
"If things go terribly wrong, all right, we're done," Volkanovski said in an interview with Australia's 10 News. "If things go very well like the last one, no damage, go through, all right, we'll keep it rolling."
Volkanovski (28-4 MMA, 15-3 UFC) is in his second reign as 145-pound champion. During his first ******* le run, he defended the belt five time before Ilia Topuria knocked him out with a punch in February 2024, his second consecutive defeat by knockout after Islam Makhachev finished him with a head kick and punches four months earlier in a lightweight ******* le fight.
Many observers wondered then if Volkanovski was nearing the end of his career, but after Topuria vacated the featherweight ******* le, Volkanovski regained it by defeating Diego Lopes at UFC 314 and then successfully defended against Lopes in their rematch at UFC 325 this past February. Volkanovski will seek his second ******* le defends when he meets undefeated Evloev, who is 20-0 overally and 10-0 in the UFC.
#champion
15 days ago
