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Alexander Volkanovski has decisions to make while healing from his surgery for a broken thumb, which occurred against Max Holloway at UFC 276. The featherweight champion has teased a move to lightweight, as he feels the top contenders at 145 are not worthy of a title shot.
Josh Emmett and Yair Rodriguez are not enthusiastic about a potential No.1-contender or interim title fight, because they both feel they already deserve a shot at Volkanovski. During an interview with Daniel Cormier, Volkanovski made it clear he believes both fighters need another win by saying:
"You have so many people screaming for the title shot. I want this. I want that. At the end of the day, people need to go and earn it. People need to go out there and take that spot. I literally made it clear. I even said, 'A big win — a big win gets you a title shot."
Rodriguez's last win was disputed because of a freak injury to Brian Ortega, and some analysts thought Emmett should have lost to Calvin Kattar. That's likely why Volkanovski doesn't see them as "big wins."
The best situation for the featherweight champion would be for Rodriguez and Emmett to fight in No.1- contender fight, which would give Volkanovski time to move to lightweight and attempt to further his legacy by becoming a two-division champion.
Alexander Volkanovski hints at being the backup for UFC 280 main event
Volkanovski might have a small chance to fight for the lightweight title by the end of the year. During the same interview, the featherweight champion mentioned potentially being a backup for the UFC 280 main event — a lightweight title fight between Charles Oliveira and Islam Makhachev — by saying:
"Here I am, busted hand... [But] I'll still be prepared... I'm willing to go in and be a backup fighter for absolute killers in the lightweight division."
Fights fall through left and right nowadays. Volkanovski being ready on the off-chance that something occurs is brilliant, because should the right circumstances arise, the featherweight champion might just find himself with a golden opportunity to become a two-division champion.
Watch Alexander Volkanovski's full interview with Daniel Cormier below:
