Alexander Volkanovski has specific criteria in mind for his next fight — he wants to return at UFC 312 in Australia and he wants gold on the line.

The former featherweight king hasn’t competed since he suffered a devastating knockout loss to Ilia Topuria back in February, which cost him the 145-pound title. With the UFC now returning to Australia on Feb. 9, Volkanovski makes it clear that he plans to fight on that card come hell or high water.

“I’m going to do whatever it takes to make sure that I am on that card,” Volkanovski said during a local press conference announcing the event via Submission Radio. “I’ll be entertaining in Sydney in February, 100 percent.

“Whether it is for the title, an interim Alexander Volkanovski open to interim title fight against Diego Lopes at UFC 312 in Australia, lightweight title, I don’t care what it is. If for some reason I can’t get a fight, I’ll entertain on the DJ decks or something. I’ll find a way to do it.”

Ideally, Volkanovski would like to fight the winner of the UFC 308 main event where Topuria puts his featherweight title up for grabs against Max Holloway.

But the 36-year-old former champion acknowledges that there’s all sorts of potential obstacles that could prevent the winner from fighting in late October and then competing again three months later in early February.

He hopes either Topuria or Holloway stay healthy enough to fight again that soon but that’s also why Volkanovski has the idea about introducing an interim title in their absence.

“If there’s injuries or something, I think an interim could be that might fit,” Volkanovski said. “Max, if he was to win, he obviously has the ‘BMF’ belt as well so whether he moves up to lightweight, which would mean an interim. So we’ve had these conversations and I’m really going to push for that.

“I’m pretty sure they do both want quick turnarounds. You’ve got injuries that could get in the way, other divisions for Max. So that could mean maybe an interim title, which is fine. Anything with gold, I’ll be happy. That’ll just lock me in for whoever wins that anyways. So even if it’s interim, that’s still a big one.”

While nothing has been decided yet and probably won’t until after UFC 308 concludes, Volkanovski believes that top-ranked contender Diego Lopes is the most likely candidate for an opponent if Topuria or Holloway aren’t available.

Fresh off a win over Brian Ortega in September, Lopes is set to weigh-in as the backup fighter for the title bout in Abu Dhabi on Oct. 26. Volkanovski welcomes that challenge to ensure he gets to fight in Australia in February.

“I’d say it would be an exciting one with [Diego] Lopes if that was going to happen,” Volkanovski said. “If not, it’s Max or Ilia.”

As far as who he’s picking to win at UFC 308, Volkanovski has plenty of history with both men but right now he’s leaning towards a new champion being crowned in Holloway.

“I think he’s proven himself time and time again,” Volkanovski said about Holloway. “So it looks like I might have to do No. 4 with the guy so we’ll see what happens.

:I’d probably like to compete with Ilia, get that win back, to be quite honest but I was asked the question who do I think would win, I thought it probably would be Max. But whoever it is, they’ve got the belt so that’s exciting.”

Oklahoma City Thunder center Isaiah Hartenstein will miss at least a month after sustaining a small, non-displaced fracture in his left hand during a preseason game in Denver.

The Thunder said Thursday that Hartenstein, who was hurt in Tuesday’s game, will be re-evaluated in five to six weeks.

The Thunder added the 7-foot, 250-pound Hartenstein as a free agent in the offseason to help them with rebounding and their lack of bulk, two of their few weaknesses last season as they earned the No. 1 seed in the Western Conference playoffs. He averaged 8.5 points, 7.8 rebounds and 3.5 assists last season for the New York Knicks.

Reporting by The Associated Press.

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The latest chapter in the Gegard Mousasi saga has started to unfold, and it involves a $15 million lawsuit.

In a 65-page civil suit filed Wednesday in the U.S. District Court for the District of New Jersey, Mousasi alleges breach of contract, among other claims, by Bellator after it was purchased by the PFL, and the PFL and “new Bellator” in general. Among the named defendants are PFL executives Peter Murray, Donn Davis, Ray Sefo, Mike Koran, Jim Bramson and George Pineda.

Mousasi is seeking a minimum of $15 million in damages (H/T MMA journalist John Nash). The 39-year-old Dutch former Bellator champion most recently fought in May 2023, and his struggles to get a fight after the PFL purchase Bellator, and therefore Mousasi’s contract, became widely discussed when they went public earlier this year.

Gegard Mousasi has filed a complaint against Bellator Sport Worldwide, LLC, New Bellator, LLC (a subsidiary of PFL),+ individuals alleging breach of contract, breach of the implied covenant of good faith and fair dealing, unjust enrichment, a claim for relief for Monopsonization. pic.twitter.com/l8TbfAUqyB

— John S. Nash (@heynottheface) October 17, 2024

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Exhibits in the lawsuit include copies of emails going back to January from Mousasi’s manager, Nima Sapafour, attempting to get clarification on what PFL’s intentions were with his client. After Mousasi went public with his frustrations with the company and threatened a lawsuit, the promotion annouced his release in April.

The suit gives insight into Mousasi’s contract with Bellator. Ahead of the sale to the PFL, Mousasi had a deal that was to pay him a flat $200,000 for his fight and a $50,000 bonus if he won with a finish – but also a guaranteed $600,000 “promotional fee” for each fight.

In communications between PFL/Bellator officials and Sapafour, Mousasi’s cost is brought up as an issue, despite his contractual status. And because Mousasi was unable to fight elsewhere, again contractually, the suit brings additional allegations.

The claims by Mousasi, including to court documents, are for “breach of contract, breach of the implied covenant of good faith and fair dealing, unjust enrichment, a claim for relief for Monopsonization under Section 2 of the Sherman Act … and misclassification-related labor and employment claims.”

The suit is asking for no less than $15 million in “compensatory, consequential and/or equitable monetary damages” and requested a trial by jury.

Mousasi (49-9-2) in May called the promotion “the worst organization” and threatened legal action “in an interview. His release was announced soon after.

In May 2023, Mousasi lost to Fabian Edwards. It was his second straight setback. Mousasi fought in the UFC from April 2013 to April 2017 with a 9-3 record with the promotion, then went to Bellator as a free agent. He went 7-3 under the Bellator banner with two reigns as middleweight champion.