Before reclaiming his rightful throne at the top of the 145-pound division and defeating Diego Lopes by unanimous decision in the main event of UFC 314, Alexander Volkanovski shared some personal joy — he and his wife are expecting their fourth daughter. During fight week, the soon-to-be father of four girls embraced the news with pride, saying: “I am destined to be a girl-dad, and I am fine with that.” Volkanovski has long been an inspiration inside the Octagon, but outside of it, he continues to motivate others to be better fathers and family men. From the beginning of his title reign, he made it clear: “My family is my motivation.”

That motivation was on full display following his return to glory. After suffering back-to-back losses, many believed his time at the top was over. At 36, with critics speculating about retirement, ‘The Great’ had plenty of doubters to silence — and he did just that. In the UFC 314 post-fight press conference, Volkanovski opened up with raw emotion and honesty.

“It was, it was funny before I went out. I was saying, like I promised you know, I’d do my walk around the mat while I’m warming up. And I was saying, there’s no way they taken this away from my family. Today as I was walking around, I was like I promised my girls I’ll bring the belt back. And then I’m like it’s not about bringing the belt back. Like I even said it in the I’ll go. But it’s not about bringing the belt back. it’s about overcoming this adversity. You know, these two losses! The break I had, you know, a lot of people are gonna think I’m done. You’re 36 years old.”

The champ further added, “That is more important. You know, me showing my kids what you could be capable of when people are counting you out….I think there’s more of a message in all of that than just taking the belt back to the family.”

An emotional Volkanovski is a sight to behold, and looking back at the tough times he has gone through, he is right, it’s not about just bringing back the belt. It is about reclaiming your throne and building back your lost reputation! And by looking at his preparation for this fight, the grueling 16-week fight camp, the mental fatigue, and the former alcohol addiction, there is no doubt his challengers will face an even better Volkanovski.

But who will he face next? One certain featherweight has torn through the rankings and his opponents, who even Volkanovski wants to fight and break his undefeated streak. Following Volk’s victory, Movsar Evloev congratulated the new champ and called his shot. He took to X and wrote, “Congratulations on an excellent performance, you’re a true champion! Now let’s see what your word is worth! @alexvolkanovski #UFC314.”

Indeed, Evloev is currently the biggest threat to Volkanovski’s newly reclaimed title. The Russian’s wrestling is elite and he happens to be on a tear. But the question is, will Evloev get his shot next?

Is Movsar Evloev the next challenger for Alexander Volkanovski?

Movsar Evloev stands undefeated after 19 professional bouts, with nine of those victories coming inside the UFC. But it’s not just the record—it’s the level of competition he’s faced. With recent wins over veterans like Aljamain Sterling and Arnold Allen, and a statement victory against featherweight title challenger Diego Lopes, Evloev has firmly established himself as a true contender in the eyes of fans.

Even the new kingpin, Alexander Volkanovski, has taken notice—and he’s not shying away from the challenge. In fact, Volkanovski seems eager for it. While the Aussie turned down a potential rematch with Yair Rodriguez following his recent win, he had a noticeably positive outlook on a potential matchup with Evloev. When asked about his plans to return to the Octagon at the UFC event in September, Volk gave an optimistic update:

“Yair looked great. I hear that he was saying (he wanted) a title shot. He’s a good dude. I like him a lot. If the UFC want to give it to him, I ain’t gonna stop that. I’ll be honest, before that fight I didn’t think he would get a shot. I’ll be honest about that but now that he’s calling, I’m not going to be the one to say no. I’ll leave everything to the UFC. Obviously, you’ve got guys like Movsar who’s undefeated. I’d love to take that zero.”

“If everything is all good, maybe we can come back quicker than that, yeah…..Maybe July?” he added, implying he’s eager to return and defend his title again soon. If everything lines up, we might see Evloev and Volkanovski clash inside the Octagon sooner rather than later. With his impressive win streak and rising popularity, Evloev has become the fan favorite to face Volk next. What does the future hold for Alexander Volkanovski? Let us know in the comments!