Volkanovski: Defending UFC belt at 37 in front of Aussie crowd is incredible

The fighter many regard to be the ‘GOAT’ of the featherweight division defeated Diego Lopes for the second time in the early hours of Sunday morning in front of an energetic and expectant Sydney crowd.  

Volkanovski says he felt right at home.

“What I managed to do out there feels great, again at this age, at 37 years old, just to win is awesome feeling, but to defend my belt here in Sydney at my age is an incredible feeling," said Volkanovski.

“I never used to allow myself to get carried by the energy of the walkout and the vibe of an arena, but now I’m like give me the energy and give me as much as you want. 

"I need to be fired up, and I was happy to soak it all in. There were also a few moments in the cage where I got to work the crowd, so it was pretty cool.” 

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During the UFC 325 post-fight press conference, Volkanovski also had the opportunity to address his next challenger. 

“You have to understand that I’m an easy champion. There are rankings for a reason and I have a responsibility as champion to face the people that deserve to challenge me for the title," he added. 

"If someone does get ahead in the queue, I’ll be active enough to still give the people that deserve the chance a shot at the title, but I’ll talk to the UFC and see what they say.” 

His technical performance and systematic takedown of Lopes earned him the honour of matching Jose Aldo’s record number of featherweight title wins, but the future hall of famer insists he’s not chasing statistics.

“I’m not chasing title defences and all that kind of stuff. I’m not trying to outdo Aldo, I just want to keep on winning because I’ve got a family to look after at the end of the day. That is what being successful is all about," Volkanovski concluded.