Alexander Volkanovski Pitches Justin Gaethje Retirement Superfight at Lightweight
Volkanovski wants a lightweight title superfight with Gaethje where both champions walk away for good.
Alexander Volkanovski has a pitch for Justin Gaethje: one last fight, two belts on the line, and both men ride off into the sunset.
The UFC featherweight champion floated the idea on WhoTheFookPod ahead of his title defense at UFC 333. Volkanovski, 38, suggested a lightweight superfight with Gaethje where both fighters retire afterward. "Let's do a superfight, lightweight title on the line and then we can both," Volkanovski said. "Then, straight after that, let the division sort themselves out. Let's make that happen."
Gaethje, 37, became the oldest undisputed lightweight champion in UFC history when he stopped Ilia Topuria by fourth-round TKO at UFC Freedom 250. But the win came at a cost. Gaethje is serving a 180-day medical suspension due to hand and knee injuries, keeping him out for the rest of the year. He has openly discussed retirement.
Volkanovski has history at 155 pounds, though it hasn't gone his way. He lost two lightweight title fights to Islam Makhachev before returning to featherweight, where he reclaimed the belt with back-to-back wins over Diego Lopes at UFC 314 and UFC 325. His record stands at 28-4.
The superfight would require Volkanovski to get past Movsar Evloev at UFC 333 on October 24, and it would require Gaethje to choose one more fight over retirement. It would also freeze the lightweight division, where Arman Tsarukyan and Charles Oliveira are both positioning for the next title shot.
This is the kind of fight that makes you lean forward in your chair. Two aging champions, both near the end, throwing it all on the line at 155? Sign me up yesterday.
Volkanovski is the better technical fighter. He's faster, he's sharper, and his volume is suffocating. But Gaethje at lightweight is a different animal than the guys Volk has faced at featherweight. Those calf kicks alone could shut down Volk's movement, and if Gaethje catches him clean, the size difference matters.
The problem is logistics. Gaethje is hurt, he's thinking about hanging it up, and the UFC has a line of contenders who will riot if this fight jumps the queue. Tsarukyan and Oliveira have been waiting. But if both guys genuinely want to retire, the UFC would be insane not to book this. Two champions, one final night, legacy on the line. That's the fight game at its best.
