Why 'Volk' thinks retirement fight won't be in Sydney
Alexander Volkanovski says he would love nothing more than to finish his UFC career in Australia, but admits he's unlikely to get a fairytale retirement fight.
Australia’s UFC superstar Alexander Volkanovski jokes he’s probably ruined his chances for a retirement fight on home soil.
Volkanovski is looking to “sail off into the sunset” with a lightweight title fight against fellow veteran Justin Gaethje, after claiming a record-extending ninth UFC featherweight title fight win.
The 38-year-old pulled off a stunning second-round TKO of previously unbeaten Russia’s Movsar Evloev to defend his featherweight crown on Sunday (AEDT).
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By continuing you agree to our Terms and Privacy Policy.A retirement fight against Gaethje would present Volkanovski with the opportunity to go full circle in his legendary career.
Gaethje - who turns 38 next month - won the lightweight title in June on the UFC White Housecard with a TKO of defending champion Ilia Topuria, the man who ended Volkanovski’s first stint as featherweight champion.
UFC boss Dana White appeared happy to oblige Volkanovski’s request to face American fighter Gaethje following the featherweight bout, saying “there’s not much we’re going to say no to with him”.
But it’s the matter of “where’‘ that might prove a sticking point.
A Wollongong local, Volkanovski would naturally want the bout to take place in Sydney, but concedes the scale of the spectacle might force organisers to host the event in the US.
The two-time featherweight champion had already been granted a Sydney fight in February and beat Diego Lopes in his first home match since 2017.
Volkanovski spoke to media in Sydney on Monday after jetting back home to rejoin wife Emma for their wedding anniversary.
“That’s probably why they did the last one in Sydney, because they probably thought, ‘Maybe he’s retiring’,” Volkanovski said.
“Everyone had to do a lot of work to make that happen, because that wasn’t easy.
“It was meant to be a Fight Night, and then trying to make it a pay-per-view - there was a lot happening in the background to make that happen.
“So I probably ruined the chances of getting a retirement fight here, but you never know.
“If it is just a defence and I choose to retire, and it is a retirement fight, they might make that happen.
“But if it is for something like a lightweight title, that might be a little bit harder.”
A rematch against Topuria is another option, but Volkanovski can’t resist the allure of the retirement storyline with Gaethje.
“That’s the coolest story,” Volkanovski said.
“I’m like, wait a second, if Justin Gaethje and myself have a retirement fight, both of us fight, and retire, vacate our belts, have one last crack, then we’re not holding up the divisions.
“They can sort themselves out … let these two old fellas go have a crack, and then we can just sail off into the sunset.
“I just feel like that’s something that’s never been done … it’s just, is it something that Gaethje wants to do?
“We’ll see, but for me, that sounds great.”
Originally published on AAP
