Alexander Volkanovski’s first protection of his second championship reign may very well be set.
The UFC 319 co-main occasion had the makings of a possible No. 1 contender battle and Lerone Murphy said his case in no unsure phrases with an unreal first-round spinning again elbow knockout of Aaron Pico. Murphy is undefeated in 17 professional bouts, together with a 9-0-1 mark within the UFC, and his end of Pico might propel him right into a long-awaited title shot.
Volkanovski supported Murphy’s callout on social media, and Murphy responded to that gesture at Saturday’s post-fight press convention, saying, “December will likely be nice to share the octagon with Volkanovski, one of many featherweight GOATs.”
As of now, the champ agrees.
“I feel it’s a little bit of a no brainer,” Volkanovski stated on his YouTube channel. “December’s trying good. There have been earlier dates that most likely wouldn’t work for guys which are combating proper now anyway, so the later dates had been at all times trying higher for me anyway and for my future potential opponents. So December’s trying prefer it may very well be there.”
Murphy isn’t the one featherweight contender on a prolonged win streak. The undefeated Movsar Evloev was truly anticipated to battle Pico, however that bout did not materialize after Evloev withdrew permitting Murphy to step in.
Volkanovski truly thought he would defend in opposition to Evlov after beating Diego Lopes for a vacant belt at UFC 314, however he expects the matchmakers to maneuver on after Murphy’s spectacular win.
“Lots of people are going to be, like, ‘Movsar ought to be there,’” Volkanovski stated. “I attempted. I attempted to make that occur. I believed he deserves it, he did deserve it, he had this battle after which I’m, like, alright, he’s going to have to do that battle after which he undoubtedly will get it after which he pulled out and you understand what the UFC’s like with issues like that. Possibly they tried to push it again as a result of they pushed the date additional and he nonetheless didn’t do it. Possibly it was a critical damage, I’m unsure, I don’t know what it’s. Possibly that’s why he can’t battle, I don’t know, but it surely doesn’t appear like it’s going to be Movsar.
“I’ve tried with all of them, but it surely seems to be prefer it’s Lerone Murphy, it makes numerous sense. So let’s do Lerone Murphy, December, sounds nice.”
Volkanovski is but to listen to any official phrase on who he’s combating, although he made certain to pay shut consideration to Saturday’s co-main occasion. Despite the fact that Pico was making his UFC debut, a memorable end by the 28-year-old might need been sufficient to arrange a date with Volkanovski, particularly contemplating Pico’s status as an all-action fighter throughout his time with Bellator.
For Volkanovski, build up his subsequent battle is strictly a numbers sport.
“I had my eye on this one,” Volkanovski stated. “Did I do know that the winner of that is going to be combating for the title? No, I don’t. I nonetheless don’t haven’t any clear solutions. However no less than you had Pico saying he thinks he’s going to knock me out and outwrestle me and clearly I find yourself saying one thing again. I don’t assume he was being disrespectful for that and I wasn’t being disrespectful. I’m actually simply making an attempt to place the feelers on the market. Who is aware of who I’ve bought subsequent?
“It may very well be Lerone Murphy. It might have been Pico. It might have been Silva if he beats Diego. Movsar, you by no means know, I don’t know. And even Yair, I’m making an attempt to place the feelers out for whoever it’s so it is sensible. If for some purpose it could’t be these guys, it finally ends up being this individual, no less than it’s bought a bit little bit of legs behind it, no less than it’s nonetheless, ‘Alright, it makes a bit little bit of sense.’ I’m going to place the feelers out with everybody. So the winner of this, that was by no means promised to me or that was by no means one thing that was going to occur, however I’m like, you by no means know.”
