Alexander Volkanovski Opens to Interim Title Fight Against Diego Lopes Following UFC Noche Victory

Alexander Volkanovski (left), Diego Lopes (right)

Former UFC featherweight champion Alexander Volkanovski has set his sights on a possible showdown with rising contender Diego Lopes. After Lopes’ impressive performance at Noche UFC, where he secured a dominant unanimous decision victory over Brian Ortega, speculation has grown about his next fight potentially being for gold. While Lopes has rapidly climbed the ranks, Volkanovski, who hasn’t fought since his knockout loss to Ilia Topuria in February, believes an interim title fight could be in the cards.

Diego Lopes’ victory over Brian Ortega has placed him in the top five of the UFC featherweight division. The Brazilian fighter dismantled Ortega, landing heavy shots and controlling the bout from start to finish. Ortega, who was looking to earn a title shot, could not stop the relentless attack of Lopes, leading to a unanimous decision loss. Now, with Lopes’ star rising, the conversation has shifted to whether he will receive a title opportunity.

Volkanovski, reacting to the situation on his YouTube channel, made it clear that while he doesn’t think Lopes should surpass him for a title shot, he’s open to the idea of fighting him for an interim belt. Volkanovski is eager to return to the octagon and has his sights set on reclaiming his championship, but if the timing for a title fight doesn’t align, an interim title bout against Lopes could be on the table.

“Lopes is right up there now, I’m going to guess he’ll be ranked number three. Obviously, my next fight is for the title,” Volkanovski said, reflecting on Lopes’ rise. “If anything happens, if there’s in the Max vs. Ilia fight, who knows what’s going to happen? Could there be an interim with someone like Lopes? You never know.”

Much depends on the outcome of the upcoming bout between Max Holloway and Ilia Topuria. Volkanovski expressed his desire to return to action soon and emphasized that his next fight should be for the title, but if injuries or other circumstances intervene, the possibility of facing Diego Lopes for an interim belt could come to fruition.