Alexander Volkanovski confirms plan to fight on newly announced UFC 312 card in Australia, suggests interim title clash with Diego Lopes
10/17/2024 11:59 AM
Whilst there are still three enormous PPVs left this calendar year, including a spectacular event next weekend in Abu Dhabi, UFC fans are already looking ahead to what the first quarter of 2025 will have to offer.
Earlier this morning, the UFC announced that the promotion will soon be returning Down Under for UFC 312, which has been confirmed for February 9, 2025, at the Qudos Bank Arena in Sydney, Australia.
Alexander Volkanovski confirms plan to fight on UFC 312 card in Australia
Alexander 'The Great' Volkanovski was in attendance for the UFC 312 media announcement, telling Submission Radio after the PPV event was revealed that "it's pretty likely" that his return fight will be booked for February 9.
"You've got Ilia and Max fighting next weekend, I'll be there watching and keeping a close eye on that one obviously; maybe get into a face-off, we'll see what happens with the winner.
"But hopefully, [I'll be] fighting the winner here in Sydney right, that's definitely what we want – just depending on what happens [with the title]."
With UFC 308 just around the corner, Volkanovski teased that his comeback fight will likely be against one of three different opponents: former champion Max Holloway, current king Ilia Topuria, or rising phenom Diego Lopes.
"If Max wins, is he going to lightweight and doing the BMF? Will that mean that I'm doing an interim title here against Lopes or something, I'm not sure… If Ilia wins, whether they can bring him to Syndey, we'll see.
"That's the plan, that's what the UFC wants, that's what I want, and I think that's what everyone else here in Australia wants as well."
The main event of UFC 308 is essentially a pick-em right now, with Volkanovski acknowledging that the likelihood of him fighting on UFC 312 improves tenfold with a 'Blessed' masterclass.
"It's a weird one, I want that Ilia fight so I can get that win back, but what makes it [more] likely that I fight soon and fight here in Syndey is Max winning… I think the chances of me fighting in Australia in February is if Max wins; the chances are a lot higher then."
Should the winner of the UFC 308 main event be unavailable for February 9, Diego Lopes has already confirmed that he'd be open to facing 'The Great' in his backyard, as he wrote on X: "February sounds good to me."
After talking to Submission Radio, Volkanovski also took the time to speak with local media outlets after the UFC 312 announcement, teasing that he'll be entertaining the Qudos Bank Arena crowd one way or another.
"I'll be entertaining in Syndey, February 100% so whether it's for the [undisputed] title, interim title, lightweight title – I don't care what it is… If for some reason I can't get a fight, I'll entertain on the DJ decks or something, I'll find a way to do it."
UFC 312 goes down live from Syndey on the weekend of Saturday, February 8, 2025.
