Volkanovski: Rodriguez, Emmett deserve to fight for interim title

UFC featherweight champion Alexander Volkanovski has given the green light for an interim title.

This past weekend, UFC president Dana White said he liked the idea of Yair Rodriguez and Josh Emmett fighting for the interim belt while Volkanovski recovers from an injury. Volkanovski, who wants to challenge for the lightweight title next, said Monday he would be fine with that matchup taking place.

"Let them fight for that No. 1 contender. I think they both deserve it ... They're both in a position where they could get a shot," Volkanovski said on "The MMA Hour."

"Are they screaming out like it needs to be them? ... Nah, not really. So let them fight for the No. 1 contender. And then we'll fight."

Volkanovski broke his thumb during a one-sided win over Max Holloway at UFC 276 earlier in July, which capped off their trilogy. He recently underwent surgery.

In a perfect scenario, Volkanovski said he wants to return to the Octagon in early 2023 in his native Australia against the winner of the vacant lightweight title fight between Charles Oliveira and Islam Makhachev, which is scheduled for UFC 280 in October.

Volkanovski, who plans to defend both titles should he become a two-division champion, said the UFC setting up Rodriguez-Emmett for an interim title would "make for a bigger fight" when he eventually faces the winner.

He isn't worried that another belt at 145 pounds would diminish his status as champion.

"Is anyone going to say that (the Rodriguez-Emmett winner is) the real champ? I don't think so," Volkanovski said. "Everyone's going to look at me as the real champ either way. And if ... all of a sudden this guy's getting all this hype, it just makes my next fight even bigger with them.

"Either way, I'm still going to get the championship money, still getting the pay-per-view views, so we're all good."