Alexander Volkanovski responds to Diego Lopes’ UFC 310 fight offer… ‘I’m fighting for the title, that’s that’

Following his extremely impressive win over Brian Ortega at UFC 306 a few weeks ago, Diego Lopes called for a number-one contender fight against the former featherweight champion, Alexander Volkanovski.

Since losing the title to Ilia Topuria this past February, Alexander Volkanovski has been sitting on the sidelines recovering from brutal back-to-back knockout losses.

In the meantime, soaring Brazilian contender, Diego Lopes, has made his way up to rank three in the 145lb division, climbing an astonishing 10 places since his last outing.

Photo by Mike Roach/Zuffa LLCAlexander Volkanovski rejects Diego Lopes’ UFC 310 fight offerNow on the precipice of a title shot, Lopes has stated that he would like to fight ‘The Great’ Volkanovski next, with the winner securing a title shot against the winner of Ilia Topuria vs Max Holloway at UFC 307.

Despite that, the 35-year-old is adamant that he is getting the next title shot without having to take a fight in the meantime, rejecting Lopes’ call for a fight in December.

“We’ve already talked to the UFC, obviously I’m fighting for the title (next), that’s what it was always going to be,” Volkanovski told Submission Radio.

“If it was going to be (Lopes) next, something would have to happen to one of the guys from the fight, whether they get injured or move divisions or whatnot, and there was an interim title or something like that, obviously I’m not scared of nobody but I’m fighting for the title and that’s that,” Volkanovski continued.

Although the former champion wasn’t surprised to see Lopes beat Ortega, he has admitted that he thinks ‘T-City’ had a ‘bad gameplan’ going into the fight.

“Ortega seemed like he was struggling, I think maybe it was a bit of a bad gameplan, I think he kept doing the same thing and turning himself straight into Diego’s right hand… We didn’t see Ortega make any adjustments,” Volk stated.

TERRIFYING: UFC women’s bantamweight contender frighteningly shakes uncontrollably on the scales as she misses weight for UFC Paris clashVolkanovski doesn’t think Ilia Topuria is successfully getting into Max Holloway’s headDuring the lead-up to Topuria’s title defense against ‘Blessed’ Holloway at UFC 307, he has seemingly attempted to get into the veteran’s head.

‘El Matador’ brought a replica BMF title after it was confirmed the BMF title would not be on the line for the fight, which Holloway went on to label as ‘weird’.

The 27-year-old also claimed that if Holloway does his famous point-at-the-ground gesture then he will knock him out in the first round, becoming the first to ever knock out the Hawaiian.

“Of course, he would love for Max to just point at the floor because we know Ilia has got great hands, right… Max is probably not going to be that silly and just play into his game, even though that is Max’s game,” Volkanovski explained.

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