Volkanovski eyes Gaethje super fight after defending featherweight title at UFC 333

Alexander Volkanovski will put his UFC featherweight title on the line against undefeated contender Movsar Evloev at UFC 333 in Abu Dhabi on October 24, and is already looking beyond that defence toward a potential super fight with lightweight champion Justin Gaethje in 2027.

Speaking on the Who The Fook Are These Guys podcast, Volkanovski outlined the appeal of a cross-division showdown with Gaethje, who claimed the 155-pound title with a violent finish of Ilia Topuria at UFC White House in June. “Imagine that,” Volkanovski said. “You do that as like a send off, Gaethje and Volk — let’s do a super fight, lightweight title on the line, and then we can both see everyone off with a crazy super fight.”

Volkanovski is 0-2 in lightweight title bouts, losing a competitive first fight to then-champion Islam Makhachev before being stopped early in a short-notice rematch. With the 155-pound picture still unsettled — Arman Tsarukyan is waiting after a first-round knockout of Mauricio Ruffy, while BMF champion Charles Oliveira faces Diego Lopes on December 12 with title ambitions — Volkanovski sees a window for the marquee match-up. “[Gaethje is] sitting there and goes, ‘Ah, what’s the point of doing rematches and all that?’ I’m like, oh, let’s do a super fight,” he said. “And then, straight after that, let the divisions sort themselves out.”

First, Volkanovski must navigate a stern challenge in Evloev, who enters the bout with a perfect 20-0 professional record. A successful defence would give Volkanovski nine featherweight title defences, surpassing Jose Aldo’s record as the most in UFC history.

Volkanovski is confident he will not only retain the belt but do so by stoppage. “We know what he wants to do,” he said of Evloev. “He wants to grab a hold of me and hold me down, and that ain’t happening. He’s going to be forced to be on the feet and let’s see if he can handle that. I’m going to be putting it on him — I’m not sitting back waiting, I’m going to be forcing a fight, and I think we get a finish.”

The UFC has not yet confirmed a next challenger for Gaethje’s lightweight title, leaving the Volkanovski super-fight proposal as an intriguing possibility should both men remain champion into 2027.