UFC featherweight contender Movsar Evloev has claimed he was denied having a moment with Alexander Volkanovski following his UFC 314 title victory.
Earlier this month, 'The Great' faced off against Diego Lopes for the vacant 145-pound belt. The Australian wound back the clock with his performance as he used his veteran experience to nullify the Brazilian's offense and outland him in every round, eventually getting his hand raised via unanimous decision.
Sat cageside on the night was Evloev, who many believe has earned a title shot and should be Volkanovski's next opponent. The 31-year-old is undefeated in his professional career (19-0), last time out defeating Aljamain Sterling via unanimous decision.
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While typically in the past, the promotion has allowed a face-off between the champion and the next contender post-fight, the Russian fighter has revealed he was denied both that opportunity and chatting to Volkanovski backstage.
Speaking in a recent interview with Russian MMA journalist Vlad Kolos, Evloev claimed the UFC didn't allow him to speak to Volkanovski as they don't believe he should be fighting for the title. He said:
"When the fight was over, we were walking out through the hallway. Volk was standing not far from me talking to the fans and talking to the staff, taking pictures...I wanted to go up to him, talk to him, congratulate him personally [and] ask about him about the fight. But the security guys did not give me this opportunity and took me to the opposite side. This shows who the UFC wants to see in the fight for the belt...Apparently, in their eyes, I am not worthy of the title yet."
Check out Movsar Evloev's comments below:
Movsar Evloev makes bold promise for potential Alexander Volkanovski title fight
Movsar Evloev recently made a bold claim in regards to his potential showdown against Alexander Volkanovski.
Evloev has surged up the featherweight rankings in recent years, adopting a wrestling-heavy style to dominate his opponents. His style has come at a detriment to his popularity, however, as many believe the UFC are trying to avoid putting Evloev in a title fight due to his low-striking output.
During a recent appearance on the Overdogs Podcast, Evloev promised fans and the promotion that should he be granted a title shot, he won't wrestle unless Volkanovski does first. He said:
"I can promise them [UFC] that I’m not gonna take down anyone if they give me a title shot. I’m not gonna go there first. If they try to take me down, I’ll accept this. But I’m not gonna go there first, I’ll just go straight striking."
Check out Movsar Evloev's comments below: