Alexander Volkanovski isn’t done yet — Robert Whittaker breaks down his route to victory

Alexander Volkanovski’s road back to UFC gold isn’t smooth, but Robert Whittaker believes it’s still very real. The former middleweight champion and fellow Aussie is backing Volk ahead of his featherweight title fight against Diego Lopes at UFC 314, a clash that comes just months after two knockout losses that had fans questioning everything — his chin, his age, even his future in the sport. But to Whittaker, none of that erases Volkanovski’s elite pedigree or his ability to bounce back stronger than ever.

At 36, and coming off brutal knockouts to Islam Makhachev and Ilia Topuria, Alexander Volkanovski enters UFC 314 with his legacy on the line. But Whittaker insists the fight is far from a swan song — he sees it as a turning point.
“Volk’s skill set’s top-tier,” Whittaker said on his MMArcade Podcast. “I can see him chopping that calf, doing his step-through left hand. I can see him pushing Diego backwards, dropping for doubles against the fence.”

Whittaker highlighted that Volkanovski used his wrestling masterfully early in his UFC career but began leaning more on striking during his reign — something he expects to see re-emerge on Saturday.
“He stopped using it as much once he was champ, except for against people like Yair [Rodriguez]... but he wrestled a lot in the beginning of his career and utilized it to great effect. So I reckon we see well-rounded Volk, top-tier skill set, and we have another champ in Australia.”
Before losing to Topuria, Volkanovski had never been beaten at featherweight. His reign included five straight title defenses and three wins over Max Holloway, solidifying him as one of the greatest 145ers of all time. But with back-to-back knockouts, the aura of invincibility has cracked — and fans have noticed.
“I think the million-dollar question is what Volk are we going to see in the octagon come that night, come UFC 314?” Whittaker asked. “As soon as he lost, they started throwing his age around and calling him a wash, which is the silliest thing I’ve ever heard. MMA fans are the best and worst of us as people, they really are.”
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Whittaker’s confidence in Volkanovski isn’t just about loyalty — it’s rooted in seeing one of the sport’s sharpest minds and most complete fighters at work. If the old Volk shows up, the belt might just be coming home to Australia once again.