The 34 year old is the current #1 pound-for-pound fighter in the world. So, he's got quite some monstrous strenght and techniques to shun his opponents.
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At UFC 273 on April 9, Alexander Volkanovski, the current featherweight champion, will defend his championship against Chan Sung Jung. It’s critical to acknowledge Volkanovski’s accomplishments as this pay-per-view approaches as they helped him achieve the prestigious position that sees him hosting such an event.
“The Great” has always been a driven individual who puts up a lot of effort to achieve his goals, whether he is a mixed martial arts champion or a rugby player. This is very clear from his UFC history, where he hasn’t had an easy time winning.
The two greatest UFC featherweights in history are Jose Aldo and Max Holloway. After five-round brawls, Volkanovski overcame both of them after moving up the rankings. He’s on the right road, even though it takes a bit more to put yourself in the running to be the greatest featherweight.
Let’s look at some of these fights that helped Volkanovski get to where he is now. Volkanovski appears to be consistent in terms of his flawless record.
Volkanvoski forced everyone to accept his resolve to maintain the championship connected to his name in one of the finest battles in UFC history. This battle had a significant lead-up. Originally set to take place in early 2021, the battle had to be delayed due to unforeseen circumstances.
Prior to their meeting, Ortega and Volkanovski served as the opposing coaches on The Ultimate Fighter. This furthered the rift between the two fighters and spilled over into the build-up to the fight’s media coverage. Fans were more interested in this fight than they were in the originally scheduled date since the rivalry was openly displayed.
A full-scale battle was predicted by tense walkouts. As his volume started to pummel his opponent, the Australian appeared better than ever. The Australian would find it challenging to prevail because Ortega presented difficulties for him, particularly in the third round.
The MMA world would remember this round as one of the finest rounds it has ever witnessed. ‘The Great’ was in a deep guillotine choke and appeared everything but at ease. Fans were on their feet eager for Ortega to tap because of his history of using jiu-Jitsu to turn around lost battles. This never occurred since Volkanovski managed to get away. Up until the conclusion of the fifth round, he managed to avoid Ortega’s efforts at submission and struck whenever he wanted.
READ MORE: Alexander Volkanovski
The former champion and perhaps the greatest featherweight to ever compete, Max Holloway, was scheduled to defend his title. The Australian challenger was able to provide ‘Blessed’ with various weaponry for which he lacked sufficient knowledge.
The leg attack on these weapons was its most crucial component. Kick after kick appeared to impair Holloway’s hitting and mobility. In this attempt to retain his title belt, the challenger’s onslaught and strategy made the champion extremely uncomfortable overall.
Many believed that “Blessed” would continue to hold the title for many years to come because he is still among the roster’s best prospects. The majority of Holloway’s chances of success in this championship defense were blocked by Volkanovski, who made him appear stale. The City Kickboxing fighter continued to battle for five rounds without slowing down until the very end, which is amazing given the opponent he faced that evening.
One of the greatest featherweight competitors of all time is Jose Aldo. He represented Brazil’s pride and was the first featherweight champion in UFC history. Any and all accolades one could manufacture are merited for Aldo’s professional achievements.
The fight against Volkanovski implied that the victor would face Max Holloway, who was the champion at the time. Aldo needed to focus on this performance because he had already lost to him twice. Although it is incredibly tough to defeat Aldo, Volkanovski may have come into this battle with more vigor than before.
However, “The Great” was able to stop the Brazilian from winning the title. The previous champion was neutralized by quick kicks and a fast tempo, leaving him unable to solve Volkanovski’s riddle.
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