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Joe Lopez, the head coach of UFC featherweight champion Alex Volkanovski, explained how they’ll beat UFC lightweight champion Justin Gaethje.
After knocking out Movsar Evloev in the main event of UFC 333, Volkanovski called out Gaethje for a superfight between two of the sport’s top pound-for-pound fighters.
While it remains to be seen if the UFC will book this fight, or if Gaethje is even interested in it, Team Volkanovski is convinced they have the blueprint to dethrone Gaethje and claim the UFC lightweight championship.
Speaking to Submission Radio, Volkanovski’s head coach, Lopez, revealed how they would beat Gaethje if they get the fight they want.
“Justin hits like a truck, as well, and he’s got the wrestling. But he’s been beaten, and I think Volk would beat him. I think Volk’s fight IQ would be a little bit too much for Justin, even though Justin’s also got Trevor Wittman and those guys, probably one of the other great teams out there. As a tactician and as a coach, he can put game plans together. I mean, look what he did to Ilia, you know? You can never underestimate him. It would be an interesting one, and it would be a great last hurrah for both boys,” Lopez said (via MMAjunkie.com).
Although Volkanovski is open to defending his UFC featherweight title against one of the division’s top contenders, he seems much more interested in a superfight against Gaethje, and how can you blame him?
At age 38, Volkanovski knows that he doesn’t have many years left at the top of the sport, and so he’s chasing the biggest fights possible, and Gaethje would be just that.
Interestingly, we haven’t heard anything from Gaethje’s camp yet as far as potentially wanting to fight Volkanovski, so at this point, the interest in this matchup appears to be one-sided.
But if the head honchos at the UFC like the idea of a Volkanovski vs. Gaethje superfight at lightweight, then perhaps the fans will get to see this amazing matchup.