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Alexander Volkanovski recently addressed the swirling rumors about a potential rematch with Yair Rodriguez. Ever since Volkanovski recaptured the featherweight crown with a win over Diego Lopes at UFC 314 this past April, the general consensus was that his first title defense in this second reign would come against the undefeated Movsar Evloev.
However, Evloev has disclosed that he’s already booked for a fight in July, which effectively takes him out of immediate title contention. In turn, speculation has ramped up that 'The Great' could instead put his belt on the line against former rival Rodriguez later this year.
During a recent interview with mainevent, Volkanovski acknowledged the growing buzz around a potential rematch with 'El Pantera' but revealed that, as of now, nothing is set in stone:
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"Yair’s name has popped up, but no dates are set right now. I think it’s just a lot of moving parts through all of the divisions. I think there’s a lot happening right now and we’ll see what comes up. The rumors you’re all hearing are pretty much true, but nothing is locked in."
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Check out Alexander Volkanovski's comments below:
Fans had mixed reactions to Volkanovski confirming talks of a potential rematch with Rodriguez, with many voicing disapproval and questioning the necessity of a second showdown between the two.
One fan wrote:
"YAIR VS. DIEGO [Lopes] IS RIGHT THERE."
Another wrote:
"Another rematch that nobody wants this year is so crap for MMA fans."
Another commented:
"So the rumors are true they are fighting but when. How useless."
Check out some more reactions below:
What happened when Alexander Volkanovski faced Yair Rodriguez at UFC 290?
Alexander Volkanovski delivered a commanding performance at UFC 290 in July 2023, defeating then-interim titleholder Yair Rodriguez with a decisive third-round knockout to secure the fifth defense of his first reign as featherweight champion.
After falling to Volkanovski, 'El Pantera' endured another setback, suffering a third-round submission loss to Brian Ortega at UFC Mexico in February 2024. However, Rodriguez bounced back at UFC 314, earning a unanimous decision victory over promotional newcomer Patricio Pitbull.
Meanwhile, 'The Great' saw his featherweight reign come to an end at UFC 298 in February 2024, suffering a knockout loss to Ilia Topuria. However, he bounced back impressively, redeeming himself by defeating Diego Lopes via unanimous decision to reclaim the 145-pound throne.
