Alexander Volkanovski wants a SUPERFIGHT against Justin Gaethje for the UFC lightweight title! 🏆 “Let’s do a superfight, lightweight title on the line and then we can both [retire]. Then, straight after that, let the division sort themselves out. Let’s make that happen.” Volk is proposing one final showdown with the title on the line before both fighters call it a career 🔥 [ via @whothefookpod ]
Alexander Volkanovski has called for a lightweight title superfight against Justin Gaethje, pitching it as a farewell bout for both men. Speaking on the Who The Fook podcast, the Australian said the two should fight for the belt and then retire, leaving the rest of the division to sort itself out afterward.
Volkanovski's idea is simple: one last showdown with gold on the line, then both walk away. He urged the fight to be made, though there is no indication the UFC has responded to the proposal.
Volkanovski, 38, is 28-4 and holds the featherweight title. He is ranked third in the pound-for-pound standings. The Australian fights out of Freestyle Fighting Gym, stands six-foot-six... correction: he stands five-foot-six, with a 71-inch reach. He lands 5.99 significant strikes per minute at 57 percent accuracy, and he adds a grappling element with 1.63 takedown attempts per 15 minutes.
Gaethje, 37, is the lightweight champion and carries a 28-5 record. The American, known as The Highlight, trains at Genesis Training Center and fights from an orthodox stance. He is a volume striker, landing 6.48 significant strikes per minute with 58 percent accuracy. He rarely looks for takedowns, averaging 0.33 per 15 minutes, and has no submission attempts on his record per 15 minutes.
Why it matters
- A fight would pit the reigning featherweight champion against the reigning lightweight champion, a champion-versus-champion matchup across two divisions.
- Volkanovski's pitch ties the bout to retirement, which would leave the lightweight title to be contested afresh afterward.
- Stylistically, it sets Gaethje's high-output striking against Volkanovski's mix of accurate striking and a stronger takedown game.
The idea remains a public proposal from Volkanovski. Nothing has been agreed, and neither fighter has been reported as committing to a final bout or to retirement.
