Alexander Volkanovski shuts down Aljamain Sterling fight after UFC 292 title loss: ‘That’s not happening’
Undisputed featherweight champion, Alexander Volkanovski has shut down a long-rumored fight between him and Aljamain Sterling, after the Uniondale native suffered a bantamweight title fight loss to Sean O’Malley over the weekend at UFC 292.
Volkanovski, the current undisputed featherweight champion and joint pound-for-pound number one alongside incumbent heavyweight best, Jon Jones, has been sidelined since he successfully unified the featherweight titles in a TKO win over interim gold holder, Yair Rodríguez at UFC 290 back in July during International Fight Week.
And yet to book a return to the Octagon, the New South Wales tactician had been linked with a title defense against the surging Georgian contender, Ilia Topuria, however, also welcomed a title defense against the above-mentioned, Sterling in the future.
Alexander Volkanovski vetos future fight with Aljamain Sterling
However, off the back Sterling’s stunning second round TKO loss to O’Malley at the TD Garden in Boston, Massachusetts over the weekend, Joe Lopez product, Volkanovski has now shut the door firmly on a future championship fight with the Uniondale wrestling ace.
“Gotta feel for Aljo (Aljamain Sterling), man,” Alexander Volkanovski said on his YouTube channel after UFC 292. “I mean, what does he want to do? He’s definitely going to want that rematch [with Sean O’Malley]. That’s a big, big fight. [Him vs. me] that’s not happening. You never know, if he would have had a big win he could have took Ilia’s [Topuria] spot, but [he didn’t win].”
As for Sterling, the Serra-Longo MMA staple heaped praise on long-time rival, O’Malley following his shocking title win over the weekend, and also claimed that he would reassess his options, weighing up a move to the featherweight limit with his team before he makes a definitive decision on his future.
At the time of publication, Volkanovski has yet to be booked since he landed his title unification win over Rodríguez – as he recovers from arm surgery following his headliner at UFC 290 back in July.
