In a recent interview, Alexander Volkanovski, the former UFC featherweight champion, expressed his thoughts on Ilia Topuria’s actions, tipped Australia’s Steve Erceg for a remarkable upset at UFC 301, and outlined his own comeback plans.
Volkanovski criticized Topuria for reportedly turning down a rematch offer and labeling his callouts, including one to Conor McGregor, as “silly.” He also doubted Topuria’s worthiness for a BMF title shot and suggested that he would lose to Max Holloway, the current holder of that title.
Regarding his own return to the octagon, Volkanovski revealed that he plans to wait until the last quarter of 2024 before pursuing another shot at the UFC featherweight crown, regardless of who holds it at that time.
Meanwhile, Volkanovski is placing his bets on Steve Erceg, a rising Australian fighter, to secure a victory against Alexandre Pantoja at UFC 301. Despite Erceg’s relatively short tenure in the UFC, Volkanovski is confident in his abilities, predicting a third-round finish for him in the upcoming title fight.
While acknowledging the danger posed by Pantoja’s style, Volkanovski believes Erceg’s composure and skillset will ultimately lead him to victory. He foresees Erceg either catching Pantoja with a decisive strike or securing a submission as the fight progresses.
Volkanovski’s optimism for Erceg stems from the latter’s impressive knockout victory over Matt Schnell earlier in the year, which catapulted him into title contention. Despite Erceg’s relatively short UFC tenure, Volkanovski believes he has what it takes to become a UFC champion.
In terms of his own fighting future, Volkanovski has opted to take a cautious approach, opting to delay his return to the octagon following his knockout loss to Topuria. While rumors circulated about a potential rematch between Volkanovski and Topuria at UFC 305 in Perth, Volkanovski stated that he had not been approached about the fight and is in no rush to return to action.
Despite uncertainties surrounding his next opponent and timeline for a comeback, Volkanovski remains focused on his recovery and future aspirations in the UFC.
