Alexander Volkanovski expects Justin Gaethje to suffer the same fate that he did.
On June 14, ‘The Highlight’ will enter the Octagon for his third attempt at becoming the undisputed UFC lightweight champion.
After beating Paddy Pimblett to become a two-time interim titleholder in January, Gaethje will challenge Ilia Topuria on the White House lawn.
The American is hoping to close out the national celebration with a home victory, but Volkanovski is among the masses expecting Topuria to spoil the party.
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Alexander Volkanovski backs Ilia Topuria to knock out Justin Gaethje at the White House
Topuria is currently on a legendary run inside the Octagon. The Spanish star is undefeated in MMA and has added the names of Volkanovski, Max Holloway, and Charles Oliveira to his list of knockout victims in the cage.
The Australian was the first legend to fall in that three-fight run, as he was brutally slept by ‘El Matador’ in the main event of UFC 298 in Anaheim just over two years ago.
During a recent video on his YouTube channel, Volkanovski predicted a similar ending for Gaethje when he stands opposite Topuria’s power in Washington D.C. on June 14.
“As soon as Gaethje opens himself up, as soon as he tries to open up and let his hands go, I believe that Ilia is going to be too sharp and just catch him,” Volkanovski said.
“I think Topuria is safe enough and defensive enough to not fall into any of Justin Gaethje’s traps — and as soon as Gaethje opens up, game over.
“I think it could be that quick, as soon as he opens himself up,” he continued. “And I think that’s bound to happen eventually.”
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Photo by Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images
After wins over ‘Alexander the Great’ and Holloway at 145 pounds, Topuria knocked out Oliveira at UFC 317 last June to become the promotion’s tenth two-division champion.
He’ll now look to defend the lightweight belt for the first time before looking ahead to a potential shot at three-weight glory up at 170 pounds.
2026-06-03 15:00:00
