Fox Sports Australia’s Nick Walshaw brings you all the latest news and views in Aussie and global MMA in his weekly column, The Takedown.

Alexander Volkanovski has rejected suggestions he is yet to “earn” a rematch with UFC lightweight king Islam Makhachev, saying: “I’m the only one who can beat him”.

On the eve of Sunday’s blockbuster UFC 291 headliner between Justin Gaethje and Dustin Poirier, Volkanovski has been told he must now wait in line behind the winner before getting a second shot at ‘champ champ’ status.

Speaking with Fox Sports Australia this week, Gaethje insisted this ‘BMF (Baddest Motherf***er) title’ headliner doubled as a world title eliminator — and that the UFC featherweight champ had not done enough since his first Makhachev shot to warrant jumping either of them for the rematch.

UFC 291 | SUN JULY 30: Dustin Poirier v Justin Gaethje 2 and Jan Blachowicz v Alex Pereira. ORDER ON MAIN EVENT ON KAYO SPORTS >

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The declaration comes as fellow Aussie Robert Whittaker has also been warned against trying to become a two-division champion — with Brazilian star Alex Pereira suggesting Bobby Knuckles “can’t do well” at light heavyweight.

Back in February, Volkanovski suffered a contentious decision loss against Makhachev at UFC 284.

Yet he has now been told by Gaethje to pump the brakes on a proposed fight plan which, unveiled this week, starts with him next defending his featherweight strap undefeated Spaniard Ilia Topuria in December.

From there, ‘The Great’ then wants his Makhachev rematch in early 2024, with either Sydney or UFC 300 the proposed cards.

However Gaethje has told this column that should he win the BMF title at UFC 291 in Salt Lake City, Utah, the next title shot must be his.

“The winner this weekend fights the lightweight champion,” Gaethje said. “That’s the way it works.

“Yes, it’s super impressive what Alex is doing at featherweight. Just as it was super impressive what he did against Makhachev.

“And while I haven’t really put any thought into (where he sits in the lightweight title hunt), I wanted him to earn it the first time he got a shot … so I’d want him to earn it this time too.”

Volkanovski, however, says he is the only fighter currently capable of beating Makhachev, who faces Brazilian Charles Oliveira at UFC 294 in October.

“They’ve both had chances at the title,” Volkanovski said of Gaethje and Poirier.

“So while they’re right up there, I think I make sense because I’m the only guy who can test Islam and beat him.

“I don’t see him losing to anyone else to be honest.”

Pushed on having to wait behind the winner of this weekend’s BMF title fight, Volk continued: “They’re great fighters.

“But they have had their chances against Khabib (Nurmagomedov). And Islam is just as good as Khabib, probably even a better striker.

UFC 291 | SUN JULY 30: Dustin Poirier v Justin Gaethje 2 and Jan Blachowicz v Alex Pereira. ORDER ON MAIN EVENT ON KAYO SPORTS >

“Khabib is obviously very strong in the grappling but when it comes to striking, Islam is very calculated and doesn’t take unnecessary risks.

“So I think he’s going to have game plans for guys like (Poirier and Gaethje) and make it look easier.

“Which is no disrespect to them. That’s just where I think Islam is.

“So people are going to want me to be the guy because they’re sick of seeing those fights and want to see that rematch.

“Everyone wants to see rounds five to ten … and so do I.”

Volkanovski stressed, however, he would not wait for any extended period for Makhachev should he defend again in October.

“I ain’t holding out for it,” he said.

“Yes I want that rematch but I want to stay active, too.

“So keep me busy – keep racking up wins, racking up rubies and paycheques and then we’ll make it happen.”

BOBBY K WARNED AGAINST MOVE UP

Robert Whittaker has been warned against attempting to become a two-division UFC champion, with Brazilian Alex Pereira saying he is “too small” for light heavyweight.

Just three months on from his UFC middleweight title loss to Israel Adesanya, Pereira is now moving up himself to challenge Jan Blachowicz at UFC 291 this Sunday.

With the winner almost certainly guaranteed a title shot, Pereira revealed that should he become the new champion he will then drop back down to challenge Adesanya for ‘champ champ’ status.

The 36-year-old added that he also did not see a future at light heavyweight for Whittaker, who was upset at UFC 290 by South Africa’s Dricus Du Plessis

Speaking with The Takedown via an interpreter, Pereira said of Bobby Knuckles: “I cannot see that he will do well at this weight class.

“Rob’s a great fighter but I think the guys at this weight are too big for him.

“He’s a little smaller so to adapt he would have to get more muscular to catch up, but then he may be slower. So I can’t really see Whittaker going up.”

And as for his rivalry with Adesanya being over?

“Right now my focus is on winning the light heavyweight belt,” Pereira said.

“But after that happens, it opens up for us to do a third fight in the UFC.

“And since we are one-and-one already at middleweight, it makes most sense to have the ‘champ champ’ fight at that weight too.

“The trilogy has to be at middleweight.”

VOLK’S BIG ELBOW REVEAL

Alexander Volkanovski has revealed his left elbow was so bad leading into his UFC 290 headliner against Yair Rodriguez, he couldn’t complete rear naked chokes in training.

Already back in the gym after undergoing successful surgery, the UFC featherweight champ has finally opened up on the full extent of his injuries.

Quizzed on his left elbow having been operated on, Volkanovski grinned: “Both elbows probably need it to be honest.

“They don’t straighten very well.

“Although the surgery was nothing major, no restructuring of anything.

“They just had to get some bone (fragments) out of there, get some spurs out, shave and grind some bone as well.

“There was a bit happening in there that was giving me grief for a while.

“Then last camp it became too much.

“I couldn’t really do a rear naked choke, couldn’t straighten my arm, couldn’t block. So I developed a couple of bad habits that I need to fix.”

UFC 291 TIPS

Tai Tuivasa and Alexander Volkanovski are both tipping the same man to win BMF gold at UFC 291 this Sunday – Dustin Poirier.

“That will be a good fight,” Bam Bam said this week.

“And I think Poirier wins. I like his stand up, he’s a real bluer.

“I like that.”

Volkanovski agrees.

“Who wins? I’ve got Dustin Poirier,” he said.

“I think it will be similar to their first fight. If Gaethje can win, it will have to be early but the longer the fight goes the more chance Dustin has of winning.”