Alexander Volkanovski is relieved he didn't have to fight Islam Makhachev at UFC 280 for the lightweight title, declaring their upcoming bout is the "best case scenario".
The Australian has yet to pen a deal for a bout with Makhachev that would see him compete for gold in his second division in the UFC, but has already begun training with a February date in his home country the ideal scenario. The pair shared a heated face-off after Makhachev won the belt from Charles Oliveira in Abu Dhabi last month and will likely headline UFC 284 in Perth.
Volkanovski is the current featherweight champion, and is also ranked No.1 pound-for-pound in the world by the promotion. He has never lost under the UFC banner, and with wins over all the top contenders at 145lb, he has started restructuring his camp in an effort to move up in weight.
