“We’re going to do it again, you [Alexander Volkanovski] deserve that. He defended his title, I don’t know how many times; if anyone deserves it, it’s him, bro. Let’s do it, bro.” This statement came from Ilia Topuria (16-0-0) right after his victory against Max Holloway last year, suggesting a possible rematch with the former champion. Furthermore, Dana White supported ‘El Matador’s sentiment, stating, “We’re not going to say no to Volkanovski” during the UFC 308 post-fight press conference.

However, just a few months later, things took an unexpected turn. Dana White recently announced that reigning featherweight champion Ilia Topuria would vacate his title to move up to the lightweight division, aiming to capture a two-division championship. As a result,  Alexander Volkanovski’s hopes were dashed, with him now set to face Diego Lopez for the vacated featherweight title at UFC 314 in April. For ‘The Great’, this opportunity wasn’t just about fighting for the title—it was about regaining the honor and legacy he lost. In response, his coach expressed disappointment, saying, “He’s pretty disappointed that Ilia pulled out.”

Amid this frustration, MMA legend Michael Bisping sees a silver lining for Alexander Volkanovski (26-4-0). According to Bisping, this situation could actually boost the Aussie’s chances of beating the #3 contender, Diego Lopez, as discussed on Bisping’s YouTube channel. In fact, Bisping believes that Ilia Topuria’s decision to vacate the title may ultimately benefit Volkanovski:

“Volkanovski wants to take on the best, and I respect him for that. He wanted that rematch with Ilia Topuria because he beat him, knocked him out, and as a fighter, that impacts your pride and ego. You just want that one back. But that ship has sailed. Now, Volkanovski has a real chance to become champion again…This, to me, is the perfect scenario for Alexander Volkanovski,” Bisping explained.

A potential rematch with ‘El Matador’ could present a significant mental challenge for Alexander Volkanovski. Conversely, fans favor the Aussie in the betting odds, reflecting that Diego Lopez (26-6) is a significantly weaker opponent.

Both Alexander Volkanovski and Ilia Topuria are no strangers to the lightweight division. ‘The Great’, of course, fought Islam Makhachev twice for the title at UFC 284 and UFC 294, with one of those bouts being on short notice. Despite his valiant efforts, the Aussie was unable to secure a victory. Still his featherweight title was not at stake. With Ilia Topuria, not only did he get get knocked out, but also lost his belt which he successfully defended five times.

Meanwhile, the Spanish-Georgian fought and knocked out Jai Herbert in a 155-lb bout at UFC Fight Night 204 during his fourth UFC appearance. So ‘El Matador’ is no stranger to the lightweight division. Though the Georgian export has now moved to the 155lbs division, Volkanovski holds out hope for the day they finally meet again.

Alexander Volkanovski teases a potential rematch with Ilia Topuria in the lightweight division

One can only wonder and hope if we get to see the rematch between both former featherweight champions in a different weight class. And why not? The history between them is storied enough. And since Dana White previously said this about Volk, “He’s an absolute stud, absolute legend, and whatever he wants to do next, I am in.” , there’s no reason why we can’t see that rematch happen at lightweight. As for Alexander Volkanovski, he sees something big on the horizon. But for now, it’s all eyes on the 145-lb title.

In a recent YouTube video, Alexander Volkanovski sent a message to ‘El Matador’, saying: “Stay focused, stay determined, get that f**king belt back… I made it pretty obvious that I was fighting soon. We did have a date, as I said in the last video, I didn’t know exactly who it was going to be until not that long ago… Fair play to Ilia, yeah. I’ll go do my thing, maybe we can just make a bigger fight after this. We’ll see what happens. See whatever’s in store for him, let him do his thing. But I’ll go win this title, and maybe we can make an even bigger rematch.”

What are your thoughts on Michael Bisping‘s claims? With Ilia Topuria’s absence from the 145 lbs division, do you think Alexander Volkanovski can reclaim his dominance in the division as he did in the past? At 36 years old, which many consider the twilight of a fighter’s career, bouncing back from setbacks can be challenging—just look at Israel Adesanya, for instance. What’s your opinion on this?