Alexander Volkanovski has declared he will be "fighting for the title" soon, as speculation grows that UFC President Dana White could clear up the featherweight picture while in Sydney for UFC 312.
While Volkanovski had hoped to be headlining UFC 312 in his home state, New South Wales, this weekend, Ilia Topuria's victory over Max Holloway in Abu Dhabi late last year put paid to any plans of that coming to fruition.
But Topuria is also in Sydney this week cornering for his brother, Aleksandre, adding weight to talk the UFC could be about to lock away his second title defence against Volkanovski as the main event for UFC 314 in Miami.
Speaking to ESPN, Volkanovski said he wanted to have something signed soon, but acknowledged that Topuria was also keen to try his hand up a division at lightweight.
"Obviously I want to fight soon," Volkanovski said. "The UFC dates get thrown around, that's the days we're looking. You're hearing about Ilia wanting to move up, I think they're trying to see if they can even make that happen, I don't know. But I know that they've got a date, I don't have an exact opponent yet, obviously the plans were always Ilia, but you are hearing him talk about moving up.
"Maybe that's why I haven't got a signed contract or a contract yet, maybe they're seeing if they can make that happen. So we'll see what's going on, but I'm fighting for a title soon, I can just promise you that."
Speculation that Topuria would defend the featherweight title for, a second time, at UFC 314 was borne out of comments made by middleweight Bo Nickal, who said on his YouTube channel: "It's official. I know for a fact. I don't know that it was announced for a fact, but I know it's happening for a fact. I'm announcing it.
"I might fight on that card. That's the card I'm trying to fight on. April, Miami."
Volkanovski said he was certainly working towards that date, but insisted he was none the wiser as to whom he might be standing across the Octagon from.
"I would have liked earlier... but yeah, whatever," he told ESPN. "But now, alright, perfect timing, because I've sort of got that date in my head. So I'm dialing in already, I don't usually dial in this early, even a few weeks ago, I started travelling, I went to New Zealand, did a bit of training there.
"Even with my diet, I'm really sticking to it, I usually like to go pretty nuts on the weekend, I'm not doing any of that, I don't go nuts. I don't mind having drinks, I'll even have [alcoholic] drinks seven weeks out of my fight, just a few drinks, it's fine, but I've cut all that, like 12-13 weeks out, which I don't ever do.
"So it's just, I'm like going, how much longer do I have? I'm not going to lie to myself and say, yeah, I've got another 10 years. That's not it. So if I've only got a few more fights left in me, let's make it count, let's go 100%, let's go all in, let's do the 1%."
Speaking with Fox Sports Australia also on Wednesday, Topuria confirmed he was yet to sign anything in regard to UFC 314. Topuria also reinforced his desire to move up but acknowledged that Volkanovski deserved the next shot at featherweight if that's where the champion next fought.
But Topuria also said he knew how that rematch would unfold.
"Of course, it's the same thing," Topuria told Fox Sports "I represent the new generation of Mixed Martial Arts. I bring a different type of game to what he's used to. So I know what's going to happen.
"Maybe the next time though, instead of knocking him out I will submit him. Maybe I change that to have different type of clips."
Asked about those comments, Volkanovski accepted the man who ended his own streak at featherweight deserved to be confident.
"Of course he's going to think that," he told ESPN. "He's coming off two KO victories and he's going to feel unstoppable. He's undefeated. So he's going to feel like that until I show him.
"So you go out there and again, we know he's got power in his hands. But I'm not going to be afraid of him. I'm going to fight my fight.
"I'm obviously going to be strategic. I'm not going to let him land them, but yeah, I'm going to make him work. I'm going to grind him out and let's see what he's like when things aren't going to plan."
On Sunday, though, it is all about UFC debutant Colby Thicknesse for Volkanovski, who will corner for his Freestyle Fighting Gym teammate when he fights Aleksandre Topuria.
"He's just, he's a tough little bastard, let me tell you," Volkanovski said of Thicknesse. "So look, he's obviously got a tough opponent in front of him who's going to be, he's going to be strong early, he's going to be looking to land big hands.
"But I believe that's his only chance of catching Colby because if he doesn't catch Colby, he's going to be drowning real quick, I'm telling you."