'Not getting any younger': Alexander Volkanovski admits UFC title rematch unlikely to happen on home soil

Alexander Volkanovski has admitted he is unlikely to feature at UFC 312 in Sydney next year, despite telling fans he was planning to fight on home soil in February.

The 35-year-old is next in line for a shot against featherweight champ Ilia Topuria, who emerged with a massive knockout victory over Max Holloway last weekend.

Speaking at the announcement of the card in Sydney two weeks ago, Volkanovski said he would be doing everything in his power to make it happen.

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"I'm gonna be making sure I'm fighting here next time in February," he said.

"Fighting for the title is pretty much promised to me. I will be facing the winner out of Ilia and Max, quite positively I can guarantee that.

"It's gonna be an incredible event and an incredible fight."

While there's still an outside chance the rematch happens at Qudos Bank Arena, the ball is firmly in Topuria's court after cementing himself as the division's undisputed king.

The undefeated Spaniard has expressed his own desire to fight in front of his home fans and when quizzed about getting Topuria to travel to the other side of the world in a few months, Volkanovski conceded it wasn't looking good.

"Look, it's still early … but it's gonna be tough to get him over to Sydney," he said during an interview on The Ariel Helwani Show.

"I always knew that and that's why I was saying I would have preferred Max winning [at UFC 308 last weekend], purely for that sense.

"At least I know I'm guaranteed next and we will see where it is. Maybe it will be in Madrid or a stadium or something, that sounds great.

"I will fight in enemy territory, even though I don't think I'm an enemy anywhere in the world at the moment. Obviously he is gonna have a massive crowd and I'm OK with that.

"I've been booed plenty of times … that will be huge, imagining a massive event in Spain."

Topuria was the man to dethrone Volkanovski at the top of the 145lb division earlier this year, becoming just the second UFC fighter to knock out the Australian.

Their rematch will be Volkanovski's shot at redemption but given his age and some of his recent results, the Wollongong product admitted time wasn't on his side.

"When is it? Is that later in 2025? Then I'm waiting like two years before I fight," he said.

"I'm not getting any younger, everyone knows that.

"I've got one last crack at this title and I'm gonna put everything into it, so hopefully it's earlier next year we can make it happen."