Movsar Evloev makes bold promise regarding potential Alexander Volkanovski title fight: "I'm not gonna go there first"
Movsar Evloev recently made a confident declaration about a potential title showdown with reigning UFC featherweight champion Alexander Volkanovski. Evloev has consistently advocated for a title shot for some time now, but the opportunity has continued to elude him.
Now that 'The Great' has claimed the vacant 145-pound title with his win over Diego Lopes at UFC 314, the undefeated Russian is optimistic that his long-awaited championship chance could finally be within reach.
However, several voices in the MMA community argue that Evloev’s wrestling-heavy style, characterized by frequent takedowns and limited striking output, has contributed to his being overlooked by UFC matchmakers, as all nine of his octagon outings have resulted in decision wins.
During a recent appearance on the Overdogs Podcast, Evloev pledged to refrain from attempting any takedowns in his potential title fight against Volkanovski, unless his opponent initiates the grappling exchanges first:
"I can promise them [UFC] that I’m not gonna take down anyone if they give me a title shot. I’m not gonna go there first. If they try to take me down, I’ll accept this. But I’m not gonna go there first, I’ll just go straight striking."
Check out Movsar Evloev's comments below:
Evloev's most recent outing took place at UFC 310 in December, where he secured a dominant unanimous decision victory over former bantamweight champion Aljamain Sterling, extending his undefeated record to 19-0.
Alexander Volkanovski eyes potential title defense against Movsar Evloev next
With his dominant victory over Diego Lopes at UFC 314, Alexander Volkanovski kicked off his second reign as featherweight champion. Following his win, discussions quickly ignited about who would be the next challenger to face 'The Great'.
During a recent interview with Fox Sports upon his return to Australia, Volkanovski expressed his desire to test himself against Movsar Evloev as the next challenger for his title defense:
"I did mention Movsar. He is undefeated. I like the fact that he’s undefeated. And still one of the younger generation... I think for the legacy, that would still mean so much. But is that what the fans want? Is that what the UFC wants? I don’t know. I’m going to need to talk to them and we’ll see what happens."
Check out Alexander Volkanovski's comments below (5:52):