Joe Lopez expects Volkanovski to fight on after UFC 333 defeat

Alexander Volkanovski is unlikely to make a retirement decision simply because he loses to Movsar Evloev at UFC 333, Joe Lopez believes. The 37-year-old will defend his UFC featherweight championship against Evloev, a challenger who has been waiting for this opportunity for a long time.

Volkanovski has acknowledged that he is in the later stages of his mixed martial arts career. His next bout is nevertheless another attempt to add to a record that has already made him one of the most highly regarded featherweights in UFC history, with many considering him the greatest fighter the division has produced.

Lopez said the final decision would belong to Volkanovski, but he expects the champion’s competitive character to influence what happens after the fight. In Lopez’s view, a defeat, even a heavy one, could make Volkanovski more determined to return, win again and avoid ending his career on a loss.

That possibility leaves retirement as a difficult decision rather than an automatic outcome. Lopez said Volkanovski’s mindset could push him towards one more comeback attempt, although he also described the situation as finely balanced. Volkanovski’s desire to continue would have to be weighed against the risks that come with each additional fight.

Lopez added that he would have been satisfied if Volkanovski had stopped after his first fight with Diego. He also said the champion has continued to prepare thoroughly and appears stronger and in better condition than he has for some time. Those observations point to a fighter who is still approaching competition seriously ahead of UFC 333.

Evloev represents a major test and a significant opportunity. The challenger knows victory would give him the breakthrough he has been seeking, while Volkanovski enters the bout with his championship and future in the sport under discussion. Whatever follows, Lopez’s view is that a loss would not necessarily bring Volkanovski’s career to an immediate end.