Alexander Volkanovski is five days from defending his featherweight crown against an undefeated killer — and he's already planning the most romantic exit in UFC history.
“I think that would be a cool story that's never been done, and you're not holding up the divisions doing it.”
Speaking to MMA Junkie in Abu Dhabi, the champion doubled down on his pitch to lightweight king Justin Gaethje: one non-title superfight, both men vacate their belts afterward, and both retire on the same night.
"I even mentioned being like a retirement fight, and a lot of people are acting like I meant the next fight needs to be the retirement fight. It doesn't," Volkanovski said. "But at the same time, if that was offered to me, I go out there and do my thing and get my hand raised."
THE PITCH
"I know Gaethje doesn't really know what he wants to do. Well, maybe if you do one more, I can do that with you, and then we go out there, have our superfight, and then vacate the belts after and retire. The divisions can sort themselves out while we have our little fairytale super fight ending and sail off into the sunset."
No belt on the line — deliberately. Volk would rather keep it that way, and his reasoning is the opposite of selfish: he believes sitting on the featherweight throne is what actually blocks the division.
"I think that would be a cool story that's never been done, and you're not holding up the divisions doing it," he said. "I've always said I don't want to hold up divisions. Me still being a champion holds up the division. If I'm out of the picture, then there's so many fights they can do for the belt."
GAETHJE'S CLOCK
For the superfight to exist, Gaethje has to want one more. The lightweight champion hasn't fought since June, when he stopped Ilia Topuria at UFC Freedom 250 to become undisputed champion — and injured both of his hands doing it.
He has openly toyed with retirement since. If he does come back, it won't be until 2027 — which fits Volkanovski's timeline just fine, because none of this is on the table unless Saturday goes his way first.
THE MAN IT FREEZES OUT
There's one problem with the fairytale: Arman Tsarukyan. The Armenian has long been considered the rightful No. 1 contender at lightweight, and he's coming off a devastating knockout of Mauricio Ruffy. Every month two champions spend planning a farewell dance is another month Tsarukyan spends waiting for the title shot he's already earned.
Volkanovski also named his featherweight alternatives if he stays at 145 — Jean Silva and Aljamain Sterling are "the ones that stand out the most" after Evloev.
First things first: Movsar Evloev, 20-0, Saturday night in Abu Dhabi. Beat him, and the fairytale stays alive. Lose, and the sunset talk ends before it starts.
Two champions retiring off one superfight — the greatest send-off in UFC history, or a gimmick the sport doesn't need?
