The UFC is still planning for Alexander Volkanovski's next fight to be against either Jean Silva or the winner of Kevin Vallejos vs. Aljamain Sterling, despite Volkanovski calling for a bout with Justin Gaethje. The promotion is also working on bringing Gaethje back to face Arman Tsarukyan. None of the matchups has been made official.
The UFC is reportedly still planning to book Alexander Volkanovski against either Jean Silva or the winner of the Kevin Vallejos vs. Aljamain Sterling fight, even though Volkanovski has been publicly pushing for a bout with Justin Gaethje. The promotion is also said to be working on a return for Gaethje against Arman Tsarukyan. None of these matchups has been made official, and the plans remain unconfirmed.
Gaethje, the lightweight champion
Justin Gaethje, 37, is the lightweight champion and sits at 28-5. His most recent recorded fight came on June 14, 2026, when he stopped Ilia Topuria in the fourth round of a title fight at UFC Freedom 250. That followed a unanimous decision over Paddy Pimblett in a five-round title fight at UFC 324 on January 24, 2026. The Genesis Training Center product lands 6.48 significant strikes per minute at 58 percent accuracy, and stands five-foot-eleven with a 70-inch reach.
Vallejos, a rising featherweight
Kevin Vallejos, 24, is the ninth-ranked featherweight with an 18-1 record. The Argentine is on a three-fight winning streak in our records, and his most recent recorded fight was a first-round KO/TKO of Josh Emmett on March 14, 2026. Before that he stopped Giga Chikadze in the second round on December 13, 2025. Vallejos lands 6.12 significant strikes per minute at 48 percent accuracy and fights out of a switch stance. At five-foot-seven with a 68-inch reach, he gives up three inches of height and two inches of reach to Gaethje, a gap that is only relevant if the two ever share a division.
Silva's profile
Jean Silva appears in our records at 19-12-3, with a striking output of 0.73 significant strikes per minute at 22 percent accuracy. Those figures sit far from the elite numbers posted by Vallejos and Gaethje.
Why it matters
- Volkanovski's next opponent is undecided, and the UFC's reported options differ sharply in profile: Silva, or whoever emerges from the Vallejos-Sterling fight.
- Volkanovski's public call for Gaethje conflicts with the promotion's reported plan, which pairs Gaethje with Tsarukyan instead.
- A Vallejos win over Sterling would extend his run to four straight and could put the 24-year-old in line for a bout with a former champion.
Aljamain Sterling vs Kevin Vallejos
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