Alexander Volkanovski acknowledges that he is starting to weigh how long his MMA career will last.
Volkanovski will 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” regained 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 plans to remain an active competitor.
At 37, the Australian veteran is set to make his 32nd professional appearance after a career spanning more than 14 years marked by tough battles and multiple knockout losses, with speculation mounting over whether UFC 325 could ultimately be Volkanovski’s final walk into the Octagon.
Alexander Volkanovski revisits retirement rumors after UFC 325
During a recent appearance on The Ariel Helwani ShowAlexander Volkanovski was asked if he plans to hang up the gloves after his rematch with Diego Lopes at UFC 325. The reigning UFC featherweight champion acknowledged that he has started to think about retirement, but said it would depend on how well he performs in his next fight.
“I don’t know where that is [retirement talk] came exactly from,” said Alexander Volkanovski. “Only if people go by what I say, I’ve said, ‘How many more do I have?’ If I got beat up, would I come back and fight? No. But that’s not my plan. Unless things go terribly wrong, I plan on going there again.
“The Great” added that if he passes Lopes again, his intention is to defend the title against an undefeated challenger like Movsar Evloev or Lerone Murphy. If he were to pass that challenge as well, Volkanovski admitted he would be much more likely to seriously consider ending his fighting career.
“Whether it’s next, taking on an undefeated fighter in the UFC in something like that, that’s attractive. Maybe that could be one I finish with, but right now I’m planning on everything going well, raising my hand, hopefully taking minimal damage and having a quick turnaround and still fighting. The plan is not to retire for good. I don’t know where that comes from.”
“I can’t promise another three, four years. But I’m not looking to retire with this because I’ll raise my hand and take minimal damage, send out a statement, put on a show for the fans and maybe we’ll see what happens next, who we’ll have next, and maybe it will be a little more attractive fight to retire.”
Alexander Volkanovski boasts an impressive professional record of 27–4, including a 14–3 mark within the UFChighlighted by dominant victories over elite competitors such as Brian Ortega, Max Holloway and Yair Rodriguez during his championship run.
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