Alexander Volkanovski promises he will be “a whole different beast” in trilogy fight against Max Holloway

UFC featherweight champion Alexander Volkanovski promises he will be “a whole different beast” in his trilogy fight against Max Holloway.

Volkanovski defeated Holloway at UFC 245 via a lopsided unanimous decision to become the new 145lbs champion in the UFC. The promotion gave Holloway an immediate rematch, but he lost a controversial split decision at UFC 251 last summer to Volkanovski. Since then, Holloway has had another big win over Calvin Kattar in one of the most impressive performances we have ever seen in the Octagon. Holloway is set to take on Yair Rodriguez in November, but if he wins that fight, it’s fully expected that he will get another title shot.

While Volkanovski is busy with Brian Ortega, who he fights at UFC 266, he knows that a trilogy fight with Holloway is on the table should he get his hand raised. Speaking to MMA reporter James Lynch, Volkanovski shared his thoughts on a potential Holloway trilogy.

“The last fight that we did on Fight Island, you don’t want to make excuses, but I don’t think I turned up at all, and I was still able to get the job done. That just shows what level (I’m at), and again you have to give credit where credit’s due, because the way he showed up from the first to the second fight, mate, it was incredible,” Volkanovski said. “But for me to be able to bring that fight back, I didn’t turn it up that day and I still got the job done. That just shows you that there are levels to this and that I’m no joke. I’m going to turn up the next fight 100 percent and I’m not going to give him any rounds just like the first fight. I’m going to start off stronger and I’m going to finish even stronger. But again, Max is a great fighter, hence why he is getting a third fight. He’s going out and taking out other guys and earning that No. 1 spot because he deserves to be right up there as well. So again, you gotta give credit where credit’s too. It’s going to be a great fight, but I just think I’m going to be too much. By then, I’m going to be a whole different beast.”

How do you think a trilogy fight between Alexander Volkanovski and Max Holloway will play out?