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Alexander Volkanovski won the UFC featherweight championship with an immaculate performance against Max Holloway at UFC 245. “The Great” will have to do it again on July 11 when he defends his belt for the first time at UFC 251, in a rematch with Holloway. Should Volkanovski retain his title though, the world is his oyster, and he’s already setting his sights high.
The featherweight division currently lacks a clear-cut No. 1 contender for Volkanovski after the Holloway rematch, and though someone might make a case later in the year, the featherweight champion has another option he’d like to pursue: chasing down lightweight champion Khabib Nurmagomedov.
“I don’t like people chasing other divisions, but (fighting Nurmagomedov) is definitely an option,” Volkanovski told theScore recently. “Right now, I’ve got a belt to defend and then there’s probably going be number one contender (after that). But I mean early next year, if something comes to me, like that fight, I’ll have to take it.”
Nurmagomedov is currently the second-ranked pound-for-pound fighter according to the UFC rankings. At 12-0 in the UFC, with wins over the likes of Rafael dos Anjos, Conor McGregor, and Dustin Poirier, Khabib has already put himself in the “greatest lightweight of all time” conversation and his MMA grappling become something of a legend already. But despite the near-mythical status of Khabib’s game, and the fact that he’d carry a substantial size advantage into a fight, Volkanovski is confident in his chances to be the guy to hand Khabib his first loss.
“Khabib is one of the GOATs as well. Nothing but respect for the dude,” Volkanovski said. “But I’m very, very hard to hold down. I’ve obviously got the brains. I’ve got the cardio. I’m a freak when it comes to holding on the ground; it’s just almost impossible holding me on the ground. Nothing but respect to all the fighters that are in the UFC, but every single one of us wants to prove something. And you know, eventually, I want to prove myself in that lightweight division too.”
Nurmagomedov is currently rumored to be facing Justin Gaethje in September as his next title defense. Should Nurmagomedov retain his belt, UFC President Dana White has made no secret that he’d like to see a Khabib-Conor McGregor rematch. Khabib has been less excited by that fight, but there are other options for him at lightweight, including a bout with Volkanovski’s City Kickboxing partner Dan Hooker, should Hooker defeat Dustin Poirier next weekend. And if Hooker doesn’t win, well that might just open the door for a Volkanovski title shot.
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VIDEO STEW
What the Heck, with Petr Yan, Cynthia Calvillo, Frankie Edgar, Calvin Kattar, Mickey Gall, Luis Pena, and Khama Worthy.
Curtis Blaydes’ top finishes in the UFC.
Free fight.
How good was Tito Ortiz actually?
SOCIAL MEDIA BOUILLABAISSE
Statement.
An honest man.
FYI if y’all were hoping to see a 25 minute stand up war you probably shouldn’t tune in to the main event cause I fully intend on ragdolling my opponent just figured I’d let y’all know ahead of time ♂️
— Curtis Blaydes (@RazorBlaydes265) June 19, 2020
Eddie on the fighter pay situation.
No1 listened to me when I left and explain that fighters need Better pay. Now the largest names in the sport are speaking out , I love this sport and the promotions that provides our stages . But understand that it is Just a Stage! without the men n women willing to fight on it
— Eddie Alvarez (@Ealvarezfight) June 18, 2020
The man has a point.
Moraes, Me, Yan, Sandhagen, Munhoz, Aldo, Rivera, Garbrandt, Dillashaw, Stamann, Font, Dong, Merab, O’Malley, Vera, Cruz, Assuncao, Raoni, Dodson, Wood, shall I continue?
— Aljamain Sterling (@funkmasterMMA) June 18, 2020
Bantamweight is STACKED!
Costa should not want this.
BN : The ultimate fighter Adelasanha x Costa
— Paulo Costa ( Borrachinha ) (@BorrachinhaMMA) June 18, 2020
A rare positive Joe Silva perspective.
My Joe Silva story. After I was cut by the UFC Joe called me and we talked for a good hour and a half about my career, getting hit in the head a bunch and had a good conversation. Him and Sean have a fucking tough job that I would not want ♂️
— ike vallie-flagg (@IKEVF) June 18, 2020
Thank god we are preventing professional athletes from . . . recovering from injury and training.
Exact same way a steroid would. Builds muscle mass, helps muscles heal and recover FAST from hard work. In the medical world, it’s used to treat muscle wasting diseases, but for an elite athlete, would make them stronger, combat fatigue and soreness.
— Jeff Novitzky (@JeffNovitzkyUFC) June 19, 2020
Now we know why Jones-Ngannou didn’t get made. The contracts got lost at sea.
Warning: this video is graphic.
— BONY (@JonnyBones) June 19, 2020
It appears EA UFC 4 will be revealed in July.
FIGHT ANNOUNCEMENTS
Frank Camacho (22-8) vs. Justin Jaynes (15-4); UFC on ESPN 11, June 20.
Mara Romero Borella (12-8) vs. Miranda Maverick (7-2); UFC Fight Night, June 27.
Andrew Sanchez (11-5) vs. Wellington Turman (16-3); UFC Fight Night, Aug. 8.
Sean Brady (12-0) vs. Christian Aguilera (14-6); UFC Fight Night, Aug. 29.
FINAL THOUGHTS
Thanks for reading, enjoy the fights, and see y’all on Monday.
EXIT POLL
Poll
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