Alexander "The Great" Volkanovski

Before beginning a career in MMA, Volkanovski played professional rugby. He stands 5'6" tall and weighs 240 pounds. While Australian wrestling, compared to how it's viewed in the USA, is not extremely competitive, Volkanovski certainly made his mark, winning the Australian National Championships two times. Making the transition from rugby to MMA was an enormous change, and after suffering the first loss in his fourth fight that saw him in welterweight (170 pounds), Volkanovski knew he had to go down in weight. Moving down to a more natural weight class would become one of the best decisions of his career. He soon dominated the Australian circuit, claiming six belts over three different divisions. He drew the attention of the UFC, and in 2016, at the age of 28, which is often considered late for making one's debut in MMA, Volkanovski made his first appearance in the promotion.

“I always believed I’d make it to the UFC. It was just a matter of time. I knew that if I kept putting in the work and getting better, eventually they’d have no choice but to sign me.” - Alexander Volkanovski

After a seven-fight win streak consecutive invincible wins over legends like José Aldo and Chad Mendes, without actually having lost a fight in the last 3 years of his UFC career, Volkanovski earned his title shot in 2019. His first opponent as a champion was none other than highly favored headline-fighting former competitor, Max Holloway, which would turn out to be one of the most memorable rivalries in MMA history. After a very competitive fight, Volkanovski was awarded the unanimous decision, although many fans felt that Holloway had done enough to walk away with the belt. When Volkanovski's victory inspired a backlash due to the fact that many thought he had legitimately beaten their favorite fighter, he made it known that he was looking to Steel the doubters' resolve. A rematch was set up, generating even more heated contention. The second fight was even closer than the first, with many, including UFC President Dana White, boldly declaring that Holloway had done enough to win. However, the judges once again awarded the decision to Volkanovski; the doubters got more vocal, with many still believing Max was the rightful champion.

It is not common for two fighters to face each other on more than one occasion during a career, but razor-thin decisions in the first two bouts between Volkanovski and Max Holloway left fans clamouring for a third fight. Volkanovski was, however, matched up against top contender Brian Ortega next. Ortega, a Brazilian jiu-jitsu specialist, offered a different sort of difficulty. In the fight, Volkanovski pretty much maintained the upper hand until the third round, when he was knocked to the floor by a punch. Ortega quickly transitioned to a guillotine choke from top mount, one of the most precarious positions in MMA. Doing this, Volkanovski, despite being under enormous pressure, showed an uncommon will not to tap out, biding his time until Ortega's arms tired before escaping the choke. When he finally got out, Volk continued to dominate, earning an obvious victory.

"When I got caught in that guillotine, I wasn’t thinking about tapping. I was thinking, 'I’m not gonna let this guy break me.' I knew I had to stay calm, weather the storm, and get out of it. And that’s exactly what I did." - Alexander Volkanovski

His guts and cool head earning him respect from every direction, including those who had doubted him. After that, he fought with similar dominance. But what stood out was the sporting spirit he demonstrated. After thoroughly outclassing his opponent, he nodded his head, asking if his opponent wanted to continue, showing his kind and humble side. This act of goodwill on his part endeared him all the more to fans all the while earning respect from every quarter of the MMA world.

After defending his title for the third time, the long-awaited rematch between Volkanovski and Max Holloway was finally scheduled. Max had systematically laid waste to top contenders in a bid to return to the top, and fans were itching to see how both fighters had changed since their previous encounters. Anticipation was high, with many looking back on their careers and ponder who has improved the most.

“Max is a great fighter, and I have a lot of respect for him, but I know I’m the better fighter. Every time we’ve stepped in the cage together, I’ve proven that. The rivalry’s been great for the sport, but at the end of the day, I know I’m the one who’s come out on top.” - Alexander Volkanovski

When the third fight finally came to fruition, it shocked many fans. Volkanovski put on almost a perfect show, shutting down all of Max's any attacks and putting UFC 276 to rest with a clear victory. With this dominant win, Volkanovski is thought to have staked a claim as the greatest featherweight (145 pounds) of all time. His victory also propelled him atop the pound-for-pound rankings, solidifying his place as the promotion's best fighter in the world to some.
With no clear contenders remaining in his division, Volkanovski sought a showdown against Islam Makhachev, the then-pound-for-pound number three fighter in the world, by moving up to lightweight (155 pounds). Trained by Abdulmanap Nurmagomedov (Khabib's father) from a young age, he was regarded as one of the most feared and unstoppable forces inside the UFC. The move to take on Makhachev was quite a bold step for Volkanovski; one he was required to take as he would like to test himself against a whole new level of competition.

Islam Makhachev seemed to be very good in his fight game, with an impressive performance yet no closely contested match he has fought in his career. Given that he was ten pounds lighter than Makhachev and moved up in weight to challenge him, many considered that to be pointless and thought that Volk could hardly mate with the reigning lightweight champion. But it was one of the fights of the year, with an incredible performance from Volkanovski.

"I knew I was up against an absolute monster in Islam, but I wasn’t intimidated. I moved up a weight class, took the fight on short notice, and gave it everything I had. I may have lost, but I proved to myself and to everyone that I can hang with the best in the world, no matter the circumstances." - Alexander Volkanovski

In the final round, Volk even dropped Islam, and most thought he had done enough to win the fight. But the judges saw it otherwise, awarding the decision to Makhachev. Even though he lost the fight, Volkanovski received considerable respect for his effort. Coming into 155 pounds, against that one of the most feared fighters in the division, he put up an uncompromised fight. UFC retained Volkanovski at number one in the pound-for-pound rankings, acknowledging that his heart, skill, and resilience in the face of adversity were still worthy of top honors, even after the defeat to Islam.

"I gave everything I had, and I’m proud of my performance, but at the end of the day, a loss is a loss. I’ll learn from this, come back stronger, and keep pushing forward. I’m not done. I’m just getting started." - Alexander Volkanovski

Volkanovski re-entered his featherweight division by again clubbing and showing that he was the man at 145 pounds when he thrashed Yair Rodriguez. While fans were waiting for him to return to the cage, Islam Makhachev was called upon for a fight of his own. However, just 11 days before the fight, Makhachev's opponent pulled out due to injury, and Volkanovski, the ever-sporting competitor, took the fight on short notice.

Without a training camp in place, 10 pounds behind, and only 11 days to prepare, Volkanovski faced one of the most dominant forces in the UFC, Islam Makhachev. However, miracles one hoped for never happened. Islam proved far too much for Volk and finished him in the second round.

The fans did not turn against Volkanovski after his defeat. Instead, they commended the courage and heart he mustered after stepping into a fight of such enormous proportions with no preparations against one of the most feared fighters in the world. Volkanovski's willingness to accept such a challenge would only strengthen his warrior image and earn even more respect from peers and fans alike.

After his loss to Islam Makhachev, he came back flying to featherweight wanting to be back in the game, but a lot of people thought it would be impossible. Some saw a 36-year-old coming to rebound after a four-month stretch from a KO loss was not 100 percent back. But factors from his past featherweight divisions made plenty believe they could give him the benefit of doubt. Wrong. He took an L against Ilia Topuria, a rising star, putting an end to his title reign at 145 pounds, against all odds.

"I’m not done. I’ve been knocked down before, but I always come back. I’m going to take the time I need, get back to what I do best, and when I get that opportunity again, I’m taking that belt back." - Alexander Volkanovski

After taking an losing, Volkanovski decided to take some time off for recovery and what with focus on spending time with family, and filming his cooking and sharing it with fans. But he is already on the comeback trail, making it clear that he intends to reclaim his belt in due time.

"You’ve got to stand up for yourself. No one else is going to do it for you. If you believe in yourself, don’t let anyone take that away from you. Keep pushing forward, even when the world doubts you."- Alexander Volkanovski