Alexander Volkanovski has been pretty active on social media, but he hasn’t competed inside the Octagon for a while. The last time we saw Volk in action was when he lost to Ilia Topuria via a brutal knockout at UFC 298 in February. Volkanovski has since taken some time to recover after suffering two back-to-back brutal KOs.

It seems like ‘The Great’ plans to come back exactly a year after his last fight, i.e., at UFC 312 in Sydney. The former champion is adamant about fighting – whether it’s for the title, interim title, or the lightweight title. Here’s what Volkanovski said about his return, “I’ll be entertaining in Sydney, February, 100 percent. Whether it is for the title, interim [title], lightweight title – I don’t care what it is. And if, for some reason, I can’t get a fight, I’ll entertain on the DJ decks or something. I’ll find a way a way to do it, so.”

This announcement by Volk ought to put Dana White on alert as the featherweight division is probably the most exciting it’s ever been since Conor McGregor. Divisional champion Ilia Topuria has brought a lot of eyes to the division, especially since knocking out Alexander Volkanovski. Furthermore, Ilia Topuria vs. Max Holloway could be this year’s Fight of the Year contender.

With this development, Dana White has the potential to make one of the most iconic fights at UFC 312. Alexander Volkanovski returning to fight the UFC 308 main event winner has the potential to sell massive pay-per-view numbers. Furthermore, for Volk fans, this is their chance to see their king have one last swing at redemption.

All eyes on the UFC 308 main event, but for Alexander Volkanovski

One could argue that defending his title against Ilia Topuria four months after having been knocked out by Islam Makhachev wasn’t the smartest move by Alexander Volkanovski. One could also argue that taking a year off after two back-to-back knockouts was probably the smartest thing anyone in Volk’s position could do. Having said that, Volkanovski ought to keep a close eye on the main event of UFC 308.

Speaking to Submission Radio, Alexander Volkanovski said that he will be in attendance at UFC 308, and even walk into the octagon to face the winner of UFC 308. Here’s what ‘The Great’ said in response to whether he’d walk into the octagon, “Of course, you know what I mean? That’s the best way to build up your next fight, especially when you’re pretty much guaranteed. There’s only very little things that could get in the way. I doubt that that happens, so get me in there. Let’s amp it up. And call the date, here in February as well.”

On one hand, is a man who ‘The Great’ beat thrice to claim and defend his featherweight title. On the other hand, is a man who disposed of him in two rounds to snatch his undisputed title away. Volkanovski’s prep for either fighter would mean different training camps, techniques, and game plans. Volk would also have to adapt to a different mindset depending on who he’ll probably face in the aftermath of the upcoming Abu Dhabi card. With Max Holloway, he’s been there thrice, winning all three times. With Ilia Topuria, he couldn’t figure the puzzle out and ended up getting finished.

Perhaps, Volkanovski didn’t fully recover from being knocked out by Islam Makhachev at UFC 294. Regardless, Ilia Topuria is still the boogeyman for Alexander Volkanovski at this point. On paper, Volkanovski has a higher chance of beating ‘Blessed’ at this point, given Holloway’s age in the fight game. One thing that ‘The Great’ has going for him is not having the pressure of being the defending champion. Will it make a difference in his return bout?