Dana White is already talking about Alexander Volkanovski’s next weight class, and the man hasn’t even fought this weekend yet.
“Dana White tells @Ninadrama that it would be hard to deny Alexander Volkanovski another shot at the lightweight title with a win at #UFC333 tomorrow,” MMA Orbit wrote on X Friday, relaying White’s interview with Nina Drama. The account posted a clip with it. That’s a secondhand relay of a sit-down, so the exact wording White used lives in the interview itself. The gist is plain enough: beat Evloev and the 155-pound conversation opens up again.
The timing is the interesting part. Volkanovski headlines UFC 333 on Saturday, Oct. 24, defending the featherweight title against Movsar Evloev. Both men made weight with no drama. Volkanovski came in at 144.5 pounds and Evloev hit 145 on the nose. Promoters don’t usually start booking a champion’s next fight in another division the night before he risks his belt, but White has never been shy about saying the quiet part on camera.
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Volkanovski’s résumé gives him the leverage. He’s 28-4, sits at No. 1 in our featherweight rankings and is the current two-time UFC featherweight champion. He’s tied with José Aldo for the most featherweight title wins in UFC history. He became the oldest man to win the 145-pound belt at 36, then the oldest to defend it at 37. He turned 38 last month, and he was ranked No. 2 pound-for-pound as of June. His last fight came on Jan. 31.
He also seems loose. Volkanovski showed up to Thursday’s press conference dressed as Joe, his character from the Street Fighter movie, which tells you how heavy the pressure feels in his camp.
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Compare that with how the same press conference went for Alexander Volkov. The heavyweight asked White directly what it would take to get a title shot. White, who didn’t appear to recognize him at first, asked “How old are you? What are you looking for, how can we help you?” and then sent him off with “Talk to Sean and Mick.” So the matchmakers get the heavyweight, and the featherweight champ gets the CEO floating a lightweight title fight in public. As a heavyweight guy, that one stings a little.
None of this means anything if Evloev wins. A loss Saturday and the lightweight talk dies in the cage, along with the belt Volkanovski already owns. A clean win, and White has handed him the opening line for his post-fight interview before the first bell rings.
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