UFC 314: Alexander Volkanovski aims to clean out Featherweight division in 2025

Alexander Volkanovski has never been one to sit on the sidelines, and after a rocky stretch in his career, he’s ready to remind the world why he was once considered one of the best pound-for-pound fighters in the sport. The former Featherweight champion returns to action at UFC 314 on April 12, 2025, to face Diego Lopes for the vacant 145-pound title, but he’s not stopping there. If he gets past Lopes, “The Great” wants to stay as active as possible, taking on Movsar Evloev and potentially Patricio Pitbull before the year is over. After suffering back-to-back knockout losses to Islam Makhachev and Ilia Topuria, Volkanovski took time to recover, both physically and mentally. Now, he’s determined to not only reclaim gold but also clean out the division once again.

Alexander Volkanovski’s plan: Three title fights in one year?

Alexander Volkanovskiis well aware of the doubters after his recent setbacks, but he’s eager to prove that he’s still the man to beat at 145 pounds. With his comeback fight against Lopes just around the corner, Volk made his intentions crystal clear in an interview with TNT Sports.

“I wanna be active, I talk about being active,” Volkanovski said. “[Patricio Pitbull] puts on a performance and the UFC want it, I want to be active. So, whether it’s Lopes, Movsar [Evloev], then [Pitbull] straight away? I want do that all in one year. I’m happy to fight three times this year. I can keep them all busy and give them all what they want."


Volk’s desire to keep the Featherweight division moving is great news for hungry contenders like Evloev, who is riding high after a win over former Bantamweight champion Aljamain Sterling in December 2024. Meanwhile, Pitbull will be looking to make his case for a title shot when he faces Yair Rodriguez on the UFC 314 prelims.

“They all want a title shot?” Volkanovski added. “The beauty of having me a champion again, they can all have their title fight [in] their next fight. No one has to wait around. No one has to have any other fights. I’ll keep yous busy.”

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Can Alexander Volkanovski become ‘The Greatest’ in 2025?

If Volkanovski pulls off his ambitious plan—winning three title fights in a year—there will be little doubt about his legacy. He’s already proven his dominance once before, and now he’s out to do it again. If everything goes his way, “The Great” might just have to upgrade his nickname to “The Greatest.”



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