Alexander Volkanovski Opens Up on Retirement Talk Ahead Of UFC 325: “Some Things Go Horrendously Wrong”
Alexander Volkanovski acknowledges that he has begun weighing how much longer his MMA career will last.
Volkanovski is scheduled to put his featherweight championship on the line in a high-stakes rematch against Diego Lopes, headlining UFC 325 on January 31 at the Qudos Bank Arena in Sydney, Australia.
“The Great” reclaimed the then-vacant 145-pound title with a unanimous decision victory over Lopes at UFC 314 in April 2024, sparking discussion about how much longer he intends to remain an active competitor.
At 37 years old, the Australian veteran is set to make his 32nd professional appearance after a career spanning more than 14 years, marked by punishing battles and multiple knockout losses, with speculations intensifying over whether UFC 325 could ultimately be Volkanovski’s final walk to the Octagon.
Alexander Volkanovski Pushes Back On Retirement Rumors After UFC 325
During a recent appearance on The Ariel Helwani Show, Alexander Volkanovski was questioned about whether he plans to hang up the gloves following his rematch with Diego Lopes at UFC 325. The reigning UFC featherweight champion acknowledged that he has begun giving some thought to retirement, but said it would depend on how well he performs in his next fight.
“I don’t know where that [retirement talk] came from exactly,” Alexander Volkanovski said. “Just whether people are going off what I say, I’ve mentioned, ‘How many more do I have?’ If I were to get beaten up, am I going to come back to fight? No. But that’s not my plan. Unless some things go horrendously wrong, I plan on going back out there.”
“The Great” added that if he gets past Lopes once again, his intention is to defend the title against an undefeated challenger such as Movsar Evloev or Lerone Murphy. If he were to come through that challenge too, Volkanovski admitted he would be far more inclined to seriously consider bringing his fighting career to a close.
“Whether the next one, taking on an undefeated fighter in the UFC in something like that, that’s appealing. Maybe that could be one that I finish up on, but right now, I plan on everything going well, getting my hand raised, hopefully take minimal damage and have a quick turnaround and still fighting. The plan isn’t to definitely retire. I don’t know where that comes from.
“I can’t promise another three, four years. But I don’t plan on retiring on this one because I’m going to get my hand raised and taking minimal damage, sending a statement, putting on a show for the fans and maybe we’ll see what happens after that, who we’re going to have after that, and maybe it’s going to be a little more appealing fight to retire on.”
Alexander Volkanovski boasts an impressive professional record of 27–4, including a 14–3 mark inside the UFC, highlighted by dominant victories over elite competition such as Brian Ortega, Max Holloway, and Yair Rodriguez during his championship run.
