Alexander Volkanovski


Alexander Volkanovski is an Australian professional mixed martial artist, currently signed to the Ultimate Fighting Championship, where he is the current UFC Featherweight Champion. Volkanovski is also a former Australian Fighting Championship Featherweight champion. As of May 24, 2020, he is #7 in the UFC men's pound-for-pound rankings.

Background

Volkanovski was born on 29 September 1988, in Shellharbour, New South Wales. His father was born in the village of Beranci in SR Macedonia, part of Yugoslavia, while his mother is from Greece. Alex began training in Greco-Roman wrestling at an early age and won a national title at the age of 12. He decided to give up wrestling at the age of 14 and instead focused on a career in rugby league as a front rower. Volkanovski attended Lake Illawarra High School throughout his teenage years and worked as a concreter after graduation.
He played semi-professional rugby league for the Warilla Gorillas in the South Coast Rugby League where he was awarded the Mick Cronin Medal in 2010 as the league's best player. He also played a crucial role in Warilla's 2011 Premiership winning season and received the Man of the Match award for his performance in his team's Grand Final victory over Gerringong. Volkanovski then decided to quit rugby league at 23 years of age to pursue a professional career in Mixed Martial Arts in the latter half of 2011. He claims to have watched Ultimate Fighting Championship events since childhood and would often rent UFC VHS tapes from Blockbuster as well as purchase UFC pay per views from 14 years of age.
Coach Joe Lopez said Volkanovski started training in MMA at the age of 22 and Greco-Roman wrestling to keep fit during the rugby league off season, where he weighed. However, he soon realised he had a passion for the sport and wanted to go as far as he could. Volkanovski quickly became a good counter striker with a powerful overhand right as well as a fantastic offensive wrestler. He initially competed in multiple amateur fights in the middleweight division as he adjusted from his rugby weight before turning professional and moving down to welterweight, lightweight and ultimately the featherweight division.
Volkanovski is based at Freestyle Fighting Gym in Wollongong but regularly completes training camps at Tiger Muay Thai in Phuket and City Kickboxing in Auckland with fellow UFC fighters Israel Adesanya, Dan Hooker and Kai Kara-France.

Mixed martial arts career

Early career

Starting as an amateur at middleweight and going 4–0 before turning professional, Volkanovski has fought in various MMA organizations in Oceania region in Asia from 2012 to July 2016 before signing with the UFC. He won a Pacific Xtreme Combat title and two Australian Fighting Championship Featherweight titles. Volkanovski amassed a record of 13–1 with 10 straight wins prior to joining the UFC.

Ultimate Fighting Championship

Volkanovski made his promotional debut on 26 November 2016 and increased his win streak to 11 with a second-round TKO against Yusuke Kasuya at UFC Fight Night 101. He announced at the post fight press conference that he would drop from lightweight to featherweight for his next fight.
Volkanovski was expected to face Michel Quiones on 19 February 2017 at UFC Fight Night 105. However, the bout was scrapped after Quinones suffered an injury and no replacement could be found.
Volkanovski returned to Featherweight and faced Mizuto Hirota on 11 June 2017 at UFC Fight Night 110. He won the fight by unanimous decision.
Volkanovski was expected to face Jeremy Kennedy at on 19 November 2017 in Sydney, Australia. However, Kennedy pulled out of the fight on 5 October citing a back injury and was replaced by Humberto Bandenay. In November 2017, it was announced that Bandenay would delay his UFC debut at this event due to undisclosed reason, and was replaced by promotional newcomer Shane Young. The bout proceeded at a catchweight at 150 pounds. Volkanovski won the fight via unanimous decision.
The bout with Kennedy was rescheduled and took place on 11 February 2018 at UFC 221. He won the fight via technical knock out.
Volkanovski faced Darren Elkins on 14 July 2018 at UFC Fight Night 133. He won the fight via unanimous decision.
Volkanovski faced Chad Mendes on 29 December 2018 at UFC 232. He won the fight via technical knockout in round two. This fight earned him the Fight of the Night award.
Volkanovski faced former featherweight champion José Aldo at UFC 237 on 11 May 2019. He won the fight via unanimous decision.

UFC featherweight championship

Volkanovski faced Max Holloway on 14 December 2019 for the UFC Featherweight Championship at UFC 245. After using volumes of low kicks and outstriking the champion in every round, Volkanovski won the fight via unanimous decision.
Volkanovski made his first title defense in a rematch against Max Holloway on 11 July 2020 at UFC 251. He won the fight via split decision. This decision was controversial amongst media outlets and mixed martial arts personalities such as UFC president Dana White, former referee and creator of the rules system John McCarthy and multiple mixed martial artists.

Personal life

Volkanovski is married to Emma and he has two daughters, Ariana and Airlie. He appeared as a coach in Malaysia Invasion, an amateur MMA reality show. Because of his Macedonian and Greek heritage, he uses the nickname "The Great" in reference to Alexander the Great. He has claimed that it is a historical fact that Alexander the Great was of a mixed Macedonian and Greek heritage, similar to himself.

Championships and accomplishments

Mixed Martial Arts

Volkanvoski has one boxing bout. A Super welterweight bout he won by unanimous decision in four rounds against Dillon Bargero.

Professional Boxing record

No.ResultRecordOpponentTypeRound, timeDateLocationNotes
1Win1–0 Dillon Bargero417 Apr 2015 Hurstville Entertainment Centre, Hurstville, New South Wales, Australia

Mixed martial arts record