There isn’t a designated back up fighter (that we know of) for UFC 304’s Welterweight title fight main event between the champion, Leon Edwards, and challenger, Belal Muhammad. Luckily for UFC, Alexander Volkanovski is in Manchester, England for the festivities this weekend (Sat., July 27, 2024).
Volkanovski, 35, has been out of action since he lost his Featherweight title to Ilia Topuria at UFC 298 in February 2024 (watch highlights). “The Great” has opted to take an extended break after back-to-back knockout losses that first started with Lightweight champion, Islam Makhachev, in October 2023, followed by the Topuria outcome.
Volkanovski viewed the Makhachev rematch as a golden chance that he couldn’t ignore, despite the short notice of approximately two weeks. Reflecting on his decision, he emphasized the significance of the opportunity. Given his extensive experience in 30 fights, even competing in the Welterweight division previously, Volkanovski remains confident that he would step up and deliver if called upon in a similar circumstance in the future.
“You never know. The Welterweights? The Heavyweights? Mate, believe it or not, I’d do it,” Volkanovski told The Mac Life. “Good paycheck for that one.
“I have a strong friendship with Leon, but if you’re going to save the day, you have to bring your A-game,” he continued. “Leon is an exceptional fighter, so it’s going to be a challenging match. Please understand that I mean no disrespect towards Belal in terms of his fighting style. However, I genuinely believe that I have what it takes to win against him. Leon Edwards is undeniably talented, and he poses a significant threat in multiple aspects. I’m not undermining Belal’s abilities, but he relies more on strategic planning and calculated moves. While those are commendable skills, they won’t be enough to defeat me. Outsmarting me will prove to be an extremely difficult task.”
Volkanovki’s first career loss came in a Welterweight bout against Corey Nelson on the Australian regional scene in May 2013. Similar to Makhachev, Nelson took out the future UFC legend with a head kick and punches.
On a more realistic note, Volkanovski maintains that his return will be a Featherweight title fight.
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’McGREGOR-FREE MAIN EVENT! Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) returns to T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada, on Sat., June 29, 2024, without its biggest box office draw, Conor McGregor, after the Irish sports star delayed the “greatest comeback of all-time” because he broke his pinky toe (seriously). Coming the rescue once again is Light Heavyweight champion, Alex Pereira, agreeing to rematch former division champion, Jiri Prochazka, in the pay-per-view (PPV) main event. In UFC 303’s co-headliner, top-ranked Featherweight contender, Brian Ortega, will attempt to halt the rise of red-hot surging 145-pound prospect, Diego Lopes. UFC 303’s PPV main card (see it here) will also feature Anthony Smith vs. Roman Dolidze and Ian Garry vs. Michael “Venom” Page and so much more. It’s must-watch action! UFC 303 start time scheduled for 6 p.m. ET (Prelims) and 10 p.m. ET (PPV).
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Remember that MMAmania.com will deliver LIVE round-by-round, blow-by-blow coverage of the entire UFC 304 fight card right here, starting with the early ESPN+ “Prelims” matches online, which are scheduled to begin at 6 p.m. ET (simulcast on ESPN2 at 8 p.m. ET), before the pay-per-view (PPV) main card start time at 10 p.m. ET (also on ESPN+).
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