Alexander Volkanovski Doesn't Think Max Holloway Deserves An Automatic Rematch

But, as a fighting champion, the Aussie is happy to take on all comers.

Max Holloway
Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff from Washington D.C, United States [Public domain]

Despite agreeing at first that a rematch between himself and Max Holloway made perfect sense, after some reflection, Alexander Volkanovski isn't fully convinced that 'Blessed' deserves an instant rematch.

Anyone who witnessed the pair come to blows at UFC 245 will know exactly how well Volkanovski performed on the night. He managed to completely outclass a fighter who'd gone undefeated in the division for nearly six years and that same star was being referred to as possibly the greatest Featherweight of all time.

So, because the former-champion had been so successful for so long, many (Dana White included) saw all the money being in the rematch. It still probably is, yet the current champ has changed his tune on the fight being a given.

Advertisement

Volkanovski told MMA Fighting he was 'watching it again and I was trying to watch it as I was trying not to be biased. I was definitely trying to notice everything that he done. I was struggling to give him one round.'

Later in the interview he also suggested that there were other contenders in the division who were probably more deserving of a shot - 'The Korean Zombie' and Zabit Magomedsharipov both coming to mind - and Holloway should have to overcome them in order to earn another shot.

Advertisement

Is Volkanovski simply ducking one of the toughest fighters in the division or is he actually trying to restore some credibility to the title chase and re-instilling the idea of earning a shot by beating the higher ranked fighters?

 
Posted On: 
Contributor
Contributor

Lifts rubber and metal. Watches people flip in spandex and pretends to be other individuals from time to time...