NZ-trained UFC champion Alex Volkanovski is cautiously optimistic about the proposed 'Fight Island' venue.
The current featherweight champion trains out of Auckland's City Kickboxing gym, alongside Kiwis Dan Hooker, Brad Riddell, Kai Kara-France and UFC middleweight champ Israel Adesanya.
The sport has been on hiatus for two months, due to COVID-19, but is scheduled to hold three cards in eight days at Jacksonville, Florida, starting with UFC 249 on Sunday.
Following that, UFC president Dana White plans to shift the Octagon to an undisclosed island, potentially for the rest of 2020.
The upcoming three cards feature American-based fighters only, due to global travel restrictions, but White has floated the idea of using private jets to fly internationally based fighters to and from 'Fight Island'.
Volkanovski, who is likely to defend his newly won title against former champion Max Hollaway in his next fight, is "100 percent" behind the idea of the venue, as long as the right precautions are in place.
"You might be lucky, you could get a private jet picking you up and taking you to it,' Volkanovski has told Fox League Live.
"I'm pretty fit at the moment, but if I could get six weeks with my team on an island and get into proper camp, and then just go and fight, I will do it, 100 percent.
"They reckon June, if the island does happen, that's probably when the international fighters can maybe go there."
UFC executive David Shaw says a lot of work still needs to be done on finalising details, but White was intent on bringing the idea to fruition.
"Hopefully, it's something we can pull together, because we certainly need an outlet, a platform and a location to service some of our international athletes outside the US," Shaw says.
'"Everyone outside of the US can be considered. We are going to have to look at each individual case specifically based on restrictions that exist, both for individuals who are domiciled in a particular region and then who might have to go through quarantining on the way back in.
"We hope to, at some point in the next few weeks, have some information to share."
Volkanovski has maintained a fairly strict training regime, while quarantined in his New South Wales home, but is aching to get back to Auckland to train with his mates.
"There's a lot of hurdles right now, but I'm doing a lot of work in my lounge room,' Volkanovski says.
"I'm doing a lot of that with my strength and conditioning through Zoom, and then I go live on our gym page and we do some sessions like that.
"I am doing hill sprints, sand sprints... I'm just trying to stay strong, stay fit."
