Former featherweight champion Alexander Volkanovski is gearing up for a major showdown at UFC 314, where he’ll face rising contender Diego Lopes. And, if there’s one person who thinks he knows how this could play out, it’s fellow Aussie and UFC veteran, Robert Whittaker.
Volkanovski hasn’t stepped into the cage since his tough loss to Ilia Topuria –a bout that ended his reign as featherweight champion, however, with the title now vacated as Topuria moves up a division, Volk finds himself with a golden opportunity to climb back to the top and reclaim what once was his.
Before the defeat, Volkanovski was an unstoppable force in the division. He racked up an impressive list of wins over elite fighters like Max Holloway—whom he dethroned at UFC 245—Yair Rodriguez, and Chan Sung Jung, among others.
Despite being 36, the former champ believes he still has what it takes to get the job done against Lopes. Backing him all the way is Robert Whittaker, who recently voiced his thoughts on Volkanovski’s chances during an episode of his MMArcade podcast.
“Volk’s skill set is top-tier,” Whittaker said. “I can see him chopping that calf, landing his step-through left hand. I see him pressing Diego back, dropping for doubles against the fence. He used to wrestle a lot earlier in his career, and it was super effective. He moved away from it once he became champ except in fights like the one against Yair but it’s still in his arsenal. I think we’ll see that well-rounded, top-tier Volk again. And if we do, we’ve got another champ in Australia.”
But Whittaker knows the big question isn’t whether Volk can win it’s which version of him will show up come fight night.
“I think the million-dollar question is: what Volk are we going to see in the octagon at UFC 314?” he asked. “People were already talking after the Makhachev loss, then came the Topuria knockout, and suddenly everyone’s throwing around talk of his age, calling him washed. That’s just classic MMA fandom. As soon as you lose, people jump on you. It’s the best and worst part of the sport.”
Whittaker didn’t shy away from acknowledging the challenges Volkanovski faces. Two straight losses. A long layoff. And yes, his age. All of it matters.
“The truth is, he’s been out for a while. And he’s coming off two rough losses. That definitely plays into it. So again, it’s not about whether Volk has the tools. We know he does. The question is, which Volk shows up at 314?”
As for Diego Lopes, Whittaker has nothing but respect.
“Diego’s in a very, very dangerous form right now,” he said. “But I believe that the ‘Makhachev 1’ version of Volk beats Diego. Volk’s composure, toughness, grit, fight IQ his ability to operate inside the octagon is second to none. But again, with everything else going on, we just have to see which Volk we get.”
One thing is clear, this fight isn’t going to be a walk in the park. Lopes is a serious threat, with strong performances against top-tier fighters like Brian Ortega and Dan Ige under his belt. But if Volkanovski shows up as his best self, Whittaker believes the Aussie just might walk out with gold around his waist once again.
