Home / Sports / Sonnen Slams Volk's 'Dumb' Superfight Idea
Sonnen Slams Volk's 'Dumb' Superfight Idea
28 Oct
Summary
- Chael Sonnen criticizes Alexander Volkanovski's desire to fight Justin Gaethje.
- Volkanovski proposed a superfight then immediate retirement for both fighters.
- Sonnen suggests Volkanovski vacate his title if he wants to test himself.
Chael Sonnen has publicly refuted Alexander Volkanovski's recent proposal to engage in a superfight with lightweight champion Justin Gaethje. Following his successful featherweight title defense at UFC 333, Volkanovski suggested a bout with Gaethje, proposing that both fighters retire immediately afterward to prevent them from blocking contenders in their respective divisions. Sonnen, speaking on his YouTube channel, deemed this plan "one of the dumbest ideas" he had encountered.
Sonnen questioned the logic behind Volkanovski's suggestion, particularly the notion of a "test" fight that would end with both combatants stepping away. He argued that if Volkanovski truly seeks to challenge himself at lightweight, he should relinquish his featherweight belt and enter the division without guarantees, much like Ilia Topuria did. Sonnen implied that Volkanovski's current approach was an attempt to avoid genuine risk and potentially collect another title without facing the full implications of moving divisions.
Sonnen further elaborated that Volkanovski had previously challenged Islam Makhachev for the lightweight title twice without vacating his own championship. He emphasized that if Volkanovski wanted to "test himself" in the lightweight division, he should make a public declaration to drop his current belt. This would align with the actions of fighters like Max Holloway and Ilia Topuria, who moved divisions without guaranteed title shots, thereby preserving the integrity of both weight classes.
