Volkanovski would vacate title to fight Arman Tsarukyan
The featherweight champion says he would give up his belt to fight the Armenian for lightweight gold if Justin Gaethje retires.
UFC featherweight champion Alexander Volkanovski said Wednesday on The Ariel Helwani Show that he would vacate his belt to fight Arman Tsarukyan for the lightweight title if Justin Gaethje retires. The Australian repeated the idea in an interview with Uncrowned, four days after knocking out Movsar Evloev at UFC 333 in Abu Dhabi.
What Volkanovski said about Tsarukyan
Plan A is still a superfight with Gaethje, the lightweight champion, as a farewell for both men. As VF Comunica reported, Volkanovski pitched that fight before UFC 333. Gaethje has not said whether he will fight again or retire.
That is where Tsarukyan comes in. Volkanovski told Helwani the Armenian keeps saying Gaethje is going to retire. “I’ll vacate the featherweight belt and fight Arman for the title,” the champion said, adding that he is starting to get more excited about that matchup than the Gaethje fight.
He sent the same message to Uncrowned. “If Gaethje doesn’t want to do that, I’ll do it. Me versus Arman for the belt. That excites me,” he said. “If I was in the lightweight division, and I was the champion, I’m fighting Arman 100%.”
Volkanovski also said he is confident he can handle Tsarukyan’s wrestling and expects a stand-up fight. He comes in hot: on Saturday he stopped the previously unbeaten Evloev in the second round and passed Jose Aldo for the most title fight wins in UFC featherweight history, as VF Comunica covered.
Tsarukyan already said yes
The interest goes both ways. In an interview released earlier this week, Tsarukyan said he would face Volkanovski for a vacant title and described him as tough but past his prime. The Armenian also said he expects a decision from Gaethje soon.
In his last trip to the Octagon, Tsarukyan knocked out Brazil’s Mauricio Ruffy with an elbow in the first round at UFC 331. Outside MMA, he has been busy on the mat: last Friday he beat Dillon Danis 10-0 at Real American Freestyle to win the league’s middleweight belt.
Neiman Gracie and the Makhachev history
Before any title talk, Tsarukyan has one more grappling date. On November 14 he faces Neiman Gracie at RAF Abu Dhabi, at Etihad Arena, under freestyle wrestling rules. Neiman is a Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt from the Gracie family.
That wrestling game is what makes a Volkanovski vs. Tsarukyan fight so intriguing. Volkanovski moved up twice in 2023 to challenge Islam Makhachev and lost both times: by unanimous decision at UFC 284 in Perth, and by first-round head kick knockout at UFC 294 in Abu Dhabi.
Tsarukyan knows Makhachev well too. He made his UFC debut against him in 2019 and lost a unanimous decision.
What happens at featherweight
If Volkanovski does move up, the featherweight title opens up. Brazil’s Jean Silva has already raised his hand, but the champion’s coach, Joe Lopez, says he has not earned a title shot. No. 4 Aljamain Sterling faces Kevin Vallejos at UFC Qatar on November 21.
For now, nothing is booked. Everything hinges on Gaethje’s answer, and the UFC has not announced its next move at lightweight.
Would you rather see Volkanovski face Gaethje in a farewell superfight or fight Tsarukyan for the lightweight title? Tell us in the comments.
Read more:
- Volkanovski stops Evloev at UFC 333, passes Jose Aldo record
- Arman Tsarukyan shuts out Dillon Danis, calls out GSP
- Volkanovski pitches Gaethje superfight for lightweight title
