Sonnen Blasts Volkanovski's Gaethje Retirement Pitch

Chael Sonnen tore into Alexander Volkanovski's pitch for a lightweight title shot following his UFC 333 victory Saturday.

Volkanovski stopped Movsar Evloev in the second round to defend his featherweight belt, then immediately lobbied for a superfight with lightweight champion Justin Gaethje. The Australian suggested both men could retire afterward to avoid holding up either division, but Sonnen thinks the proposal makes no sense.

"Volkanovski just laid out one of the dumbest ideas I've ever heard," Sonnen said on his YouTube channel, as MMA Fighting first reported. He questioned why anyone would book a fight where both competitors retire immediately after. "Who does that help? Why would anybody book that fight?"

Sonnen challenged Volkanovski's claim that moving to lightweight would test him, noting the featherweight champion used to weigh 211 pounds and cuts heavily to make 145. "I do challenge the notion that, 'I will go to 155 to test myself to fight Gaethje.' That's a cop out," he said, per BJ Penn. "If you want to go to 155 and test yourself, drop the strap and go into the division; exactly what Ilia Topuria did."

The analyst pointed out that Volkanovski has already received two lightweight title shots against Islam Makhachev without vacating his featherweight belt, losing both times. He contrasted this with Max Holloway, who moved up with no guarantees. Volkanovski can drop the belt now if he truly wants to test himself at lightweight, Sonnen argued — it requires nothing more than a public statement.

UFC CEO Dana White suggested after UFC 333 that it would be hard to deny Volkanovski many requests. Gaethje is recovering from hand injuries sustained in his June win over Topuria, with lightweight contender Arman Tsarukyan claiming the champion has been avoiding him.