Apr 8, 2023; Miami, Florida, USA; Steve Garcia (blue gloves) reacts after defeating Shayilan Nuerdanbieke (red gloves) during UFC 287 at Miami-Dade Arena. Mandatory Credit: Rich Storry-USA TODAY Sports

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“Too Busy Cooking” – Steve Garcia Takes A Jab At Alexander Volkanovski Ahead Of His Fight With David Onama

Winning streaks mean absolutely nothing if the division above you remains completely frozen in time. Steve Garcia has won six consecutive UFC fights with five coming by knockout or TKO impressively. The Jackson-Wink MMA product just defeated veteran Calvin Kattar in July to extend his streak further. But Garcia won’t get the high-profile matchup he deserves because the division’s top remains stagnant entirely.

Alexander Volkanovski captured the featherweight title for the second time by defeating Diego Lopes at UFC 314. That victory came way back in April, yet Volkanovski hasn’t fought since or even announced his next opponent. Several contenders wait patiently for their title shot including Lerone Murphy or Movsar Evloev. And now, Garcia called out the champion for holding up the entire division with his inactivity lately.

Steve Garcia Hoped For A Higher Profile Matchup

Steve Garcia will headline UFC Vegas 110 this Saturday against David Onama at the UFC Apex. The main event represents Garcia’s first time in that spotlight after years of grinding through the rankings. But he admitted during media day that he was hoping for a more high-profile booking.

“The way everything kind of went down, I was kind of hoping for something a little bit further ahead.”

Garcia clarified that his comments weren’t meant as disrespect toward Onama specifically as an opponent or person. Onama brings his own four-fight winning streak into Saturday’s main event matchup with legitimate momentum. He’s won six of his last seven UFC appearances and presents a dangerous test for Garcia. But in terms of name recognition and rankings position, Onama represents a step down from Kattar.

Garcia Takes Aim At Alexander Volkanovski

Steve Garcia didn’t mince words when discussing Alexander Volkanovski’s absence from the octagon since winning his title. His frustration clearly stems from the division’s lack of movement creating bottlenecks for everyone below.

“Volk’s too busy cooking. He’s holding everybody up at the top. He just needs to make a decision. Just pick somebody. I don’t know, just pull it out of a hat. Somebody, right? Because they’re all waiting. Get the division going again.”

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The sentiment reflects what many featherweight contenders probably feel but won’t say publicly about their champion. Garcia emphasized that movement at the top benefits everyone competing in the weight class currently ranked.

The date of the next UFC featherweight title fight remains completely unknown with no announcements forthcoming. Volkanovski has been on the sidelines for over six months without indicating when he will return. Those with legitimate claims to the number one contender spot remain in limbo waiting. Garcia doesn’t care who gets the shot as long as something happens to create movement.

(Image Credit: Rich Storry – Imagn Images)

Alexander Volkanovski

David Onama

Steve Garcia

UFC Vegas 110

Zaid Quraishi

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I am a dedicated MMA and Boxing content writer at The Playoffs. I was instantly hooked on MMA after watching the fight between Lyoto Machida vs. Gegard Mousasi back in 2014, and since then, i have been an avid writer with a deep love for the sport and its techniques, providing readers with a thorough understanding of the sport. My favorite aspect of working at The Playoffs is the creative freedom it provides. The diverse range of topics, from listicles and SEO to news articles, keeps me engaged and motivates me to continuously improve my skills! I aim to capture the excitement of the combat sports world in my writing, acting as the middleman between fighters and their die-hard fans. It is kind of like a referee, but with words!