Alexander Volkanovski, the current UFC featherweight champion, recently revealed that he turned down a rematch with Islam Makhachev to stay active. This decision came as a surprise to many fans, as Makhachev is considered one of the most promising fighters in the lightweight division. After Volkanovskis recent loss to Makhachev a rematch was expected by the fans.
Alexander Volkanovski’s decision to stay active
In an interview with ESPN, Volkanovski explained that he chose to stay active and fight more frequently rather than wait for a rematch with Makhachev. He stated that he did not want to put his career on hold and that he is ready to fight anyone, anytime.
“That’s a tricky one because you have Beneil Dariush, but that rematch needs to happen. We need to make that happen, so I guess it’s a tricky one, we just need to see how things go. Me, I just want to remain active, that’s the big thing for me. I’m not the one to wait around, I know I could eventually get it. But what am I going to do? Just sit around and wait until, that’s just not me. I’ll get my fights and do what I’ve got to do. Yeah, that rematch definitely needs to happen, we’ll make that happen. I’ll just do my thing in July and see what happens from there.”
Volkanovski’s decision is understandable, as fighters often have a short window of opportunity to compete at the highest level. By staying active, he can continue to build his legacy and solidify his position as one of the top fighters in the UFC.