Dana White reveals next opponent for Alexander Volkanovski
Alexander Volkanovski is the Featherweight Champion of the World. He dethroned Max Holloway this past December. After that, however, he revealed that he wouldn't be able to have a quick turnaround as his hand was injured.
However, that doesn't appear to be too much of a problem since the first quarter of the year has PPVs headlined by incredible fights. Volkanovski was also vocal about the fact that he wasn't convinced that any Featherweight deserved a title shot.
With Max Holloway, he felt that he was defeated too decisively to warrant a rematch. As for the other two contenders, i.e, "The Korean Zombie" Chan Sung Jung, and Zabit Magomedsharipov - the Australian felt that the two were still a win away from a title shot and urged them to battle it out to determine the next contender.
Dana White, however, has different plans. On TheSchmozone podcast, he confirmed that UFC is planning a rematch between him and Max Holloway:
“Holloway,” White said on TheSchmozone podcast as to who Volkanovski will fight next. “Very, very soon. We are working on that right now.”
White openly stated an interest in doing that rematch right after UFC 245 as well. It looks like the direction they'll be going and it could be a PPV in Australia - something that White also suggested would happen.
Ultimately, anything can happen. Injuries can still delay it but we don't expect Holloway to compete until then. This leaves the perfect #1 contender's match between Korean Zombie and Zabit Magomedsharipov. This will undoubtedly determine the next Featherweight title challenger.
However, we do fear that if Holloway wins the rematch, it will result in a trilogy and delay the Featherweight division the same way the Heavyweight division has been stalled due to the Stipe Miocic-Daniel Cormier trilogy.