Alexander Volkanovski wants a shot at ‘double-champ status’ with another win over Max Holloway
Featherweight champion Alexander Volkanovski faces former titleholder Max Holloway for the third time in the UFC 276 co-main event on July 2.
Volkanovski defeated Holloway by unanimous decision to capture the 145-pound championship in their first fight at UFC 245 in December 2019. An immediate rematch was booked and the two fought again at UFC 251 in July 2020. The rematched ended in a split decision with some viewing the decision as controversial.
The trilogy match takes place at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. With another win over Holloway, Volkanovski plans to request an opportunity to go up and challenge for the lightweight title.
"That's why I talk about this third fight with Max being a big one. Dana [White] has even touched on it, that after this one I'll go do my thing. It's going to give me that time to go and at least have a chance to go after that double-champ status," Volkanovski said during a press conference in Sydney, Australia.
"That's what I want, so I'm going what I plan on doing and that's what I'm going to call for."
Charles Oliveira holds the lightweight strap. While Volkanovski considers Oliveira dangerous, he believes that the Brazilian is definitely beatable.
"When I look at Oliveira, dangerous fighter. Dangerous fighter. A lot of people like watching him fight, and exciting fights. But obviously he has showed that he can be beat. He showed that in his last few. Even though they were exciting, he was almost beat in every one of those times," Volkanovski said.
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"The is, with me, I ain't going to give him those opportunities. If I land big on someone, they ain't going to get the opportunity to land big on me. That's not how we roll. I'm going to land big and not get hit. That's the whole point.
"I plan on moving up. He's dangerous. It's going to be a great fight, and I think it'll be a massive fight. I definitely believe that I can go that double-champ status and I'll be successful. But let's worry about Max."
