Volkanovski Open to Lightweight Return, Proposes Title Fight Against Gaethje

Alexander Volkanovski says he is open to one more run at lightweight, and he has floated a bold idea for a career send-off: a superfight with Justin Gaethje for the 155-pound title.

Volkanovski pitched the matchup as a crazy way to go out, and indicated he would then step away and let the lightweight division sort itself out. The comments are a proposal from the fighter himself, not a booked bout, and no deal is in place.

Volkanovski, 38, is the featherweight champion and is ranked third in the pound-for-pound standings. The Australian, who trains at Freestyle Fighting Gym, carries a record of 28-4-0. He stands five-foot-six with a 71-inch reach, a 180 cm span that is long for his height. He lands 5.99 significant strikes per minute at 57 percent accuracy, and he averages 1.63 takedowns per 15 minutes, a figure that shows how much his game leans on wrestling and control.

Gaethje, 37, is the reigning lightweight champion with a 28-5-0 record. The American fights out of Genesis Training Center and is known for a high-volume, high-damage approach. He lands 6.48 significant strikes per minute at 58 percent accuracy, and he rarely hunts takedowns, averaging 0.33 per 15 minutes. He stands five-foot-eleven with a 70-inch reach.

Why it matters

• A Volkanovski move up would put a reigning featherweight champion in a title fight at lightweight, a step that would test his reputation as a two-division threat.
• The stylistic contrast is clear: Gaethje's striking output against Volkanovski's mix of precise striking and wrestling.
• Volkanovski framed the fight as a farewell, which would shape how the division reads his run if it ever happens.
• The idea has to clear obvious hurdles, including whether the promotion and the champion are interested.

For now, the proposal is only that. Gaethje has not been reported as agreeing to the fight, and nothing has been scheduled.