Are former UFC featherweight champion Alexander Volkanovski’s best days behind him?
After suffering back-to-back losses for the first time in his career, ‘The Great’ returns to the Octagon this Saturday night with an opportunity to retake the featherweight throne. Standing in his way will be streaking Brazilian standout Diego Lopes.
The two 145’ers will headline UFC 314 on April 12 when the promotion heads back to the Kaseya Center in Miami.
Volkanovski suffered a pair of especially brutal knockouts in his last two outings against Ilia Topuria and Islam Makhachev.
Taking the last year off to rest and recover, ‘The Great’ is confident that he can resume his run atop the division. However, not everyone is convinced that Volkanovski can turn back the clock. During a recent episode of the One on One podcast with Laura Sanko, former fighter turned analyst Din Thomas suggested that the ex-champ’s legendary durability may not be what it once was.
“You know, beating Aldo, beating Max—he’s been great,” Thomas said. “I just don’t know if it still exists in him after his run and then after getting knocked out two times in a row. I don’t think it exists anymore.”
Can Alexander Volkanovski fend off Father Time a bit longer at UFC 314?
Whether you agree with Thomas’ take or not, there’s no denying that father time eventually catches up with all fighters, and Volkanovski is no more immune than the rest of us. Now 36 years old, can the Aussie defy the laws of nature and take the featherweight throne once again?
Or is it time for a new era at 145?
