In just a couple of weeks at UFC 276, we are going to see a trilogy for the featherweight title. Champion Alexander Volkanovski (24-1) will look to make it 3-0 as he takes on Max Holloway (23-6) for the third time.
The first fight was clearly a win for Volkanovski. In the second fight, you could make the argument for either man getting the win. Volkanovski got his hand raised both times and he plans on making it decisive at UFC 276.
If Alexander Volkanovski does win at UFC 276, there aren’t a ton of challenges left for him at 145 pounds. He would have three wins over Max Holloway. He also completely destroyed Brian Ortega and Chan Sung Jung.
Josh Emmett and Yair Rodriguez are potential challengers, but neither seem to really light the fire for the champion. With a win at UFC 276, Volkanovski said this week he wouldn’t be focused on his next title defense. Instead, he would be focused on calling for a shot at the lightweight champion.
Would the UFC make Volkanovski – Oliveira?
In speaking at a UFC 276 press conference, Volkanovski said that he plans on calling for a shot at the vacant lightweight title with a win over Holloway. Currently, the lightweight title is vacant after Charles Oliveira (33-8, 1 NC) missed weight before his title defense against Justin Gaethje.
While there’s technically no champion at 155, the world knows that the division belongs to Charles Oliveira. Right now, there’s not a lot of clarity surrounding Oliveira’s next opponent. There are many calling for the UFC to book him against Islam Makhachev.
However, Dana White has seemingly shut that fight down and said that Makhachev wouldn’t be next. The UFC is still interested in booking Makhachev against top contender Beneil Dariush which was a fight that was supposed to take place in February.
Oliveira has gone on record and stated that he wants a fight with Conor McGregor next. McGregor is currently rehabbing after breaking his leg against Dustin Poirier last year at UFC 264. Oliveira said that he wants the money-fight with McGregor after taking out all of the top contenders.
If anyone deserves the money fight, it would be Oliveira. However, McGregor might not be ready by the fall. If Volkanovski wins at UFC 276, I think there’s a good chance he gets the shot. Maybe that’s why Dana White has been so against Islam Makhachev getting the shot.
If Makhachev fights Dariush and McGregor isn’t ready, who else would challenge Oliveira next? To me, the only logical opponent would be Alexander Volkanovski.