Volkanovski and Ruffy training. Photo: Reproduction/Instagram
Alexander Volkanovski , it seems, already has his next UFC fight lined up. The featherweight champion (up to 65,7 kg) has called upon Brazilian Mauricio Ruffy to assist him in his training in Thailand, signaling the possible start of a new camp.
In a video posted on social media, Ruffy revealed that he is already in the Asian country to join the Australian's training sessions. The fighter used humor to highlight the effort of the long trip so soon after recent commitments, but reinforced his admiration for Volkanovski and guaranteed that he will always be available when called upon by the champion.
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“Glory to God, guys, we’ve arrived here in Thailand… Look, you have to really love Volka to make this trip to be with this guy right after a fight, after such a long trip. Jokes aside, I always told Volka that whenever he calls me, I’ll always be available. He called me, we’re already here, we’re in Thailand,” said Mauricio Ruffy.
Maurício Ruffy posted on his stories that he's in Thailand at Alexander Volkanovsk's request 👀
"I always told Volka that whenever he called me, I would always be available, he called and now here we are."
🎥: @Ruffymma pic.twitter.com/XQ44ake1sG
— Juan Nicolas (@JuanNicolasOFC) July 23, 2026
It's worth remembering that, after being knocked out by Ilia Topuria at UFC 298 in February 2024, when he lost the featherweight title, Alexander Volkanovski went through a period of hiatus and only regained the championship by defeating Diego Lopes at UFC 314 in April 2025. Subsequently, the Australian defended his title at UFC 324 in January 2026, again against the Brazilian, consolidating himself once more as the king of the division.
Given this scenario, fans and experts have begun to disagree on who should be the next challenger for the Australian. On one side, Jean Silva , who has four knockouts and one submission in six UFC wins, bases his candidacy on entertainment appeal. On the other, Movsar Evloev , who remains undefeated in the organization with 11 wins, although without any submission victories.
In this context, if Volkanovski is aligned with Jean Silva , the confrontation takes on a level of drama that goes beyond the octagon. This is because Mauricio Ruffy is a former member of the Fighting Nerds team and used to train alongside the Brazilian.
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