Alexander Volkanovski (left)(image via YouTube / UFC)

By FCF Staff

It remains to be seen if Dustin Poirier fights again. But,  Alexander Volkanovski is doing his part to encourage the renowned lightweight back into the Octagon, by proposing they fight.

Leading up to UFC 302, Poirier acknowledged that he may retire following his fight with lightweight champ, Islam Makhachev. Following his submission loss to Makhachev on Saturday, Poirier said the fight was probably his last.

Since then, however, Volkanovski respectfully called for a fight between the two, later this year. While speaking via his YouTube channel, the former featherweight champ said (quotes via MMA Fighting.com).

“He thinks he might be retiring, not sure. Maybe, just maybe, depending on what I’m doing — obviously, I want to fight later in the year, I don’t know exactly what’s happening, I don’t want to wait too long either — so if the timing works out, maybe me and Dustin can have a good fight. I know he just wants good fights. Obviously, [we] have a lot of respect for each other, and I think that would be a massive fight.”

“So that’s something I’d be willing to do while I’m waiting for that featherweight title, maybe a lightweight fight against someone like Dustin Poirier would be great. You heard it here first. Maybe we could make something happen.”

The 35-year-old Volkanovski (26-4) is coming off consecutive, knockout losses to Makhachev and Ilia Topuria in October and February, respectively.

Poirier (30-9), who is also 35, KO’d Benoit Saint Denis in March, prior to facing Makhachev at UFC 302.