Super fight next? Last week, Alexander Volkanovski mentioned the idea of a champ vs. champ fight at 155 lbs against Justin Gaethje… Comment below thoughts 👇
Alexander Volkanovski has put the idea of a champion-versus-champion fight at lightweight into play, naming Justin Gaethje as the opponent he has in mind. The Australian raised the possibility last week, and the suggestion has since drawn plenty of discussion among fans. No bout has been made or announced.
Volkanovski, 38, is the reigning featherweight champion and is ranked third in the pound-for-pound list. He carries a 28-4 record into any potential move up in weight. His most recent recorded fight was a unanimous decision over Diego Lopes on January 31, 2026, at UFC 325, a five-round title defense that followed his decision win over Lopes in April 2025. He lands 5.99 significant strikes per minute at 57 percent accuracy and averages 1.63 takedowns per 15 minutes, a wrestling-based element that sets him apart from many strikers.
Gaethje, 37, holds the lightweight title at 28-5. His most recent recorded fight came on June 14, 2026, at UFC Freedom 250, where he stopped Ilia Topuria with a fourth-round KO/TKO in a title fight. Before that he beat Paddy Pimblett by unanimous decision over five rounds in January 2026. The American lands 6.48 significant strikes per minute at 58 percent accuracy, and he rarely looks for takedowns, averaging 0.33 per 15 minutes.
Why it matters
- Both men are reigning champions in different divisions, which is what makes the matchup a true champ-versus-champ proposition.
- Volkanovski would be moving up from featherweight to face a champion who has beaten Topuria, the fighter who knocked Volkanovski out in 2024.
- The physical gap is small: Volkanovski stands 168 cm to Gaethje's 180 cm, a 12 cm difference, but his 180 cm reach is actually 2 cm longer than Gaethje's 178 cm.
- The styles contrast sharply. Gaethje's output edge is about half a significant strike per minute (6.48 to 5.99), while Volkanovski's takedown rate is nearly five times higher (1.63 to 0.33 per 15 minutes).
For now this remains an idea floated by Volkanovski rather than a scheduled fight. Both champions have recent title wins on their records, and both are in the late stages of their careers, which adds weight to the question of whether such a bout could be made.
