‘It wouldn’t surprise me’ – Paddy Pimblett explains why Alexander Volkanovski might want to fight him amid retirement talk

Jan 5, 2026 - 17:15

Many MMA fans expect Alexander Volkanovski to retire after his next fight, but Paddy Pimblett believes he could face him instead.

Volkanovski defends the UFC featherweight title against Diego Lopes in his native Australia on February 1, 10 months after out-pointing the Brazilian in their first fight.

MIAMI, FLORIDA - APRIL 12: Diego Lopes of Brazil (R) fights Alexander Volkanovski of Australia in a featherweight title fight during UFC 314 at Kaseya Center on April 12, 2025 in Miami, Florida. (Photo by Megan Briggs/Getty Images) — Volkanovski runs it back with Lopes in the main event of UFC 325 on February 1 in Sydney

MIAMI, FLORIDA - APRIL 12: Alexander Volkanovski of Australia reacts after a victory against Diego Lopes of Brazil in the UFC featherweight championship bout during the UFC 314 event at Kaseya Center on April 12, 2025 in Miami, Florida. (Photo by Cooper Neill/Zuffa LLC) — ‘The Great’ secured a unanimous decision win over Lopes in his last fight at UFC 314

‘The Great’ was in line to face top-ranked featherweights Movsar Evloev and Lerone Murphy in his first defence since reclaiming the title he lost to Ilia Topuria, but UFC CEO Dana White granted Lopes the rematch instead.

Volkanovski has shut down retirement rumours in the buildup to his second fight with Lopes at UFC 325, saying he has no plans to call it quits on his stellar MMA career.

But a large proportion of the MMA world believes the bout at Qudos Bank Arena, Sydney, serves as a perfect opportunity for the 37-year-old to lay down the gloves in his backyard once and for all.

That is apart from UFC lightweight contender Pimblett, who takes on Justin Gaethje for his division’s interim belt at UFC 324 on January 24.

Pimblett has said that if he is successful against Gaethje in the first UFC card of 2026, Volkanovski may find it hard to resist potentially bowing out of MMA as a two-division champion if he too gets past Lopes.

Paddy Pimblett: I wouldn’t be surprised if Alexander Volkanovski wants to fight me next

Speaking to Tom Aspinall in a video on the UFC heavyweight champion’s YouTube channel, Pimblett said: “I’ve heard people saying that Volk might retire after this fight, because it’s in Australia.

“But you don’t know, do you? People say that all the time, and then they fight again.”

Aspinall admitted that although he is the ‘biggest’ fan of Volkanovski, he hopes to see ‘The Great’ retire after fighting Lopes.

However, Pimblett then chimed in with an interesting observation.

“I think if I win, though, and he wins, and I get upgraded to undisputed champion, as you did, I wouldn’t be surprised if he thinks that’s the perfect opportunity to win the lightweight belt.

An image of Paddy Pimblett alongside Alexander Volkanovski

Pimblett ‘wouldn’t be surprised’ if Volkanovski is interested in fighting him, should both men be successful in their respective title bouts[/caption]

“I don’t want to fight Volk – I proper like him – but he’ll probably look it and think that’s my best chance to become lightweight champ beating Paddy.”

Volkanovski, of course, has already tested his mettle at 155lbs.

Volkanovski has already had two UFC lightweight title bouts

After making his UFC debut as a lightweight in 2016 and becoming UFC featherweight champion for the first time three years later, Volkanovski moved up a division in an attempt to claim a second belt.

He had defended the featherweight belt four times and fought current welterweight champion Islam Makhachev at UFC 284.

Although Volkanovski suffered a unanimous decision defeat after five rounds, several fans credited him for going the distance and playing out a close fight.

After moving back down to win another 145lbs title fight against Yair Rodriguez, Volkanovski contested a rematch with Makhachev in October 2023.

PERTH, AUSTRALIA - FEBRUARY 12: (R-L) Islam Makhachev of Russia and Alexander Volkanovski of Australia talk after their UFC lightweight championship fight during the UFC 284 event at RAC Arena on February 12, 2023 in Perth, Australia. (Photo by Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images) — Volkanovski gave Makhachev a proper fight when they met in February 2023, but ultimately tasted defeat

ABU DHABI, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES - OCTOBER 21: Islam Makhachev of Russia reacts after his knockout victory against Alexander Volkanovski of Australia in the UFC lightweight championship fight during the UFC 294 event at Etihad Arena on October 21, 2023 in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. (Photo by Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images) — Eight months later, the Russian knocked him out with a perfect head kick in their rematch

But the hard-hitting Australian was knocked out just three minutes into the pair’s Abu Dhabi main event and hasn’t returned to 155lbs since.

Another knockout loss at the hands of Topuria at UFC 298 had Volkanovski written off as a champion from 2025 onwards.

However, ‘The Great’ lived up to his nickname once again by bouncing back with an incredible performance against Lopes in his last fight at UFC 314 to reclaim the title once again.

He is now a matter of weeks away from facing the same task as he headlines UFC 325 in a rematch with Lopes.

The Sydney card is stacked, with Dan Hooker and Benoit Saint Denis meeting in a mouthwatering co-main event at lightweight.

A striking fans’ dream sees Rafael Fiziev face Mauricio Ruffy also on the main card, while Australian heavyweight Tai Tuivasa makes his MMA return to fight Tallison Teixeira.