Alexander Volkanovski may be a featherweight champion, but the Aussie still has his eyes on lightweight gold. The 38-year-old recently opened up about the possibility of moving back up to 155 pounds, giving himself another shot at becoming a double champion.
Of course, this wouldn’t be the first time Volkanovski has chased the lightweight title. He has already shared the Octagon with Islam Makhachev twice, pushing the Dagestani to his limits during their first meeting at UFC 284 in Australia. Makhachev eventually secured a close decision victory, although plenty of fans felt Volk had done enough to win.
Their rematch at UFC 294, however, was a completely different story. Volkanovski stepped in on short notice after Charles Oliveira withdrew from his scheduled title fight against Makhachev because of a cut above his eye. The Australian took the opportunity to make history, but things quickly went south as he suffered a devastating head-kick knockout.
Despite those setbacks, Volkanovski hasn’t completely given up on his lightweight ambitions. This time, though, he has a rather interesting idea that could give two UFC legends one final shot at glory.
The featherweight champion recently floated the possibility of facing Justin Gaethje in a potential retirement fight, with the lightweight title on the line. And judging by Dana White’s reaction, the UFC boss seems pretty open to the idea.
Dana White Welcomes Alexander Volkanovski’s Ambition to Fight Against Justin Gaethje
During a recent appearance on Who The Fook Are These Guys, Volkanovski pitched an interesting idea for his next big challenge: a superfight against Gaethje. With both veterans potentially approaching the final stages of their careers, Volk believes they could give fans one last memorable showdown.
He said, “Imagine that. You do that as like a send-off, Gaethje and Volk, ‘cause he’s talking about… Does he want to fight still? He’s like, maybe one more, then that could be like a super fight.”
Volkanovski even suggested putting the lightweight title on the line, giving both fighters a chance to leave the sport on a high note. He added, “Let’s do a super fight, lightweight title on the line, and then we can both see everyone off with a crazy super fight.”
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And it looks like Dana White wouldn’t be against making it happen. Speaking to Main Event ahead of UFC 333, the UFC CEO revealed that he would be open to booking Volkanovski vs. Gaethje if both fighters were interested.
He said, “I think when a guy gets to his level and accomplishes what he has accomplished, there isn’t too many things we’d say ‘no’ to him about. If he’s got things he wants to try or do before he hangs it up, I’m sure we’ll be very supportive.”
The potential matchup could be particularly interesting given the uncertainty surrounding Gaethje’s future. After beating Ilia Topuria, the lightweight champion has been weighing his options, with retirement and a potential title defense against contenders like Arman Tsarukyan among the possibilities.
Dana White is open to the idea of Alexander Volkanovski moving up to lightweight to fight Justin Gaethje 👀
“When a guy gets to his level, there isn’t too many things we’d say ‘no’ to him about. If he’s got things he wants to do before he hangs it up, I’m sure we’ll be very supportive.” https://t.co/57ycYs9n9A
— Championship Rounds (@ChampRDS) October 23, 2026
However, Volkanovski has a major hurdle to clear before he can seriously consider a move up in weight. The Australian must first get past Movsar Evloev at UFC 333, which is just hours away. A victory would keep his featherweight reign going and put him in a stronger position to explore a potential superfight.
If the UFC eventually makes the matchup happen, it could give two experienced fighters a chance to add one more major moment to their legacies. For Gaethje, it could be a final opportunity to compete in a high-profile title fight, while Volkanovski would have another shot at making history. Should he defeat Evloev and later beat Gaethje for the lightweight title, Volkanovski could become the 12th double champion in UFC history.