Alexander Volkanovski revealed he plans on competing a few more times before calling it a career.
With Ilia Topuria relinquishing his featherweight title, Volkanovski (26-4 MMA, 13-3 UFC) will take on Diego Lopes (26-6 MMA, 5-1 UFC) for the vacant belt in the UFC 314 main event April 12 at Kaseya Center from Miami.
Volkanovski admitted that the thought of retirement crossed his mind when he was taking time off after back-to-back knockout losses to lightweight champion Islam Makhachev then Topuria at UFC 298 in February. But now that he has some clarity, Volkanovski mapped out how he sees the rest of his career panning out.
“I’m expecting to maybe have a couple more, a few more,” Volkanovski said on “The Ariel Helwani Show.” “We’ll see. I’ll say that, and then have a fight and absolutely love it: ‘Give me another seven!’ But how much longer? I still love it, but how much longer do I want to do this to myself and my body? I do want to eventually sail off into the sunset, right? I’ve already started that.
“I’m here on the farm, and I enjoyed the last year. It’s been incredible, and I was able to grow outside of fighting so much. So I’m really looking forward to that, but I want to have one last crack, and get really stuck into it. Win that belt, defend it, maybe defend it again, or one big fight after a defense, we’ll see. Then, maybe I’m done. That’s where we’re at.”
Volkanovski aims to conclude the final chapter of his career in active fashion. He wasn’t surprised to see Lopes get the title fight over Movsar Evloev, but is happy to give Evloev his opportunity right after.
“I’m winning the belt and I’ll call him out,” Volkanovski said of Evloev. “He can probably just wait if he wants. I’m going to talk to the UFC. I’ll let them know, I’m winning that title and I’ll fight him three months later. Tell me the date, and we can do it. Let’s get straight back into it, let’s not waste any time, and see where we’re at. I think Movsar is definitely deserving, as well.”
For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 314.
