Alexander Volkanovski

With a 25-1 professional MMA record, Alexander "The Great" Volkanovski is the current UFC Featherweight Champion. In the UFC, Volkanovski is unbeaten and holds the top spot in the men's pound-for-pound rankings.
Alexander Volkanovski in a file photo [Image-Twitter@TheMacLife]

Alexander Volkanovski was born on September 29, 1988. Volkanovsk is a mixed martial artist from Australia. He is the current UFC Featherweight Champion and fights in the Featherweight division of the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC). He was once the Featherweight champion of the Australian Fighting Championship (AFC). Volkanovski competed as a professional boxer in 2015 before making his UFC debut. He is currently ranked first in the UFC men's pound-for-pound rankings as of 16 November 2022.

NameAlexander Volkanovski
D.O.BSeptember 29, 1988
Height5 ft 6 in (168 cm)
Weight66 kg
OccupationMixed Martial Artist
Professional Debut2012
WifeEmma Volkanovski
NicknamesThe Great, Alexander The Great, The Hulk

Background

Greek and Macedonian parents brought Volkanovski into the world in Shellharbour, NSW, Australia. Early on, he began wrestling training, and he went on to win the Australian championship. He shifted his attention to rugby league, where he played for the Warilla Gorillas and won the Premiership with them in 2011 and the Australia Rugby Mick Cronin Medal in 2010 as a Group 7 player.

In order to stay in shape for rugby league, where he weighed 97 kg, Volkanovski began training in MMA and Greco-Roman wrestling, according to Freestyle Fighting Gym teacher Joe Lopez. Volkanovski was named man of the match in the 2011 Group Seven grand final when Warilla defeated Gerringong (214 Ib).

He quickly realized, though, that he was passionate about the game and wanted to advance as far as possible. In 2012, he turned to combat sports. He had an appearance as a coach in the amateur MMA reality series Malaysia Invasion. Volkanovski is a superb offensive wrestler and a solid counter-striker with a strong overhand right.

Early Career

In late 2011, he will give up rugby at the age of 23 to focus on a professional MMA career. Before turning pro, Volkanovski had a perfect record in amateur competition. In 2012, he would make his professional debut at Revolution Promotions, where he was declared the winner by a unanimous vote. Volkonovski racked up a 13-1 record while competing on the Oceania regional circuit, winning the titles of AFC Featherweight, PXC Featherweight, Wollongong Wars Lightweight, Roshambo MMA Lightweight, and Cage Conquest Welterweight.

UFC debut

In 2016, Volkanovski competed in the UFC for the first time, winning by TKO in Whittaker vs. Brunson (punches). Before receiving a championship opportunity for the UFC Featherweight Championship against Max Holloway, Volkanovski would go on a 7-fight winning run in the UFC and defeat MMA veterans Chad Mendes and Jose Aldo.

At UFC 245, Volkanovski defeated Holloway by Unanimous Decision to win the title of UFC Featherweight. At UFC 251, he would defeat Holloway in a Split decision to defend his championship. At UFC 266, Volkanovski faced Brian Ortega in a championship defense for the second fight. The Champion controlled the contest and prevailed by Unanimous Decision to extend his winning run in the UFC to ten matches.

Following his third victory against the former champion Max Holloway, Volkanovski has become the top fighter pound-for-pound in the most recent UFC rankings. Holloway was Volkanovski’s opponent for the featherweight championship. Since joining UFC in 2016, the Australian has gone unbeaten and is currently 25-1 in his professional career. Moving up in weight class will be his next test as he attempts to become the second fighter, after Conor McGregor, to simultaneously hold the lightweight and featherweight crowns.

Championships and accomplishments

Mixed martial arts

  • Ultimate Fighting Championship
    UFC Featherweight Championship (One time, current)
    Four successful title defenses
    Fight of the Night (Two times) vs. Chad Mendes and Brian Ortega
    Performance of the Night (One time) vs. Chan Sung Jung
    Tied (Arnold Allen) for the second-longest win streak in UFC Featherweight division history
    UFC Men’s Pound-For-Pound No. 1
  • Crypto.com
    Fan Bonus of the Night vs. Chan Sung Jung
  • Australian Fighting Championship
    Australian Fighting Championship Featherweight Champion (one time; former)
    One successful title defense
  • Cage Conquest
    Cage Conquest Welterweight Champion
  • Pacific Xtreme Combat
    PXC Featherweight Champion
  • Roshambo MMA
    Roshambo MMA Lightweight Champion
    Roshambo MMA Welterweight Champion
  • Wollongong Wars
    Wollongong Wars Lightweight Champion
  • CombatPress.com
    2019 Breakout Fighter of the Year
  • World MMA Awards
    2019 – July 2020 Upset of the Year vs. Max Holloway at UFC 245
    2022 Charles ‘Mask’ Lewis Fighter of the Year
    2022 International Fighter of the Year
  • MMAjunkie.com
    2021 September Fight of the Month vs. Brian Ortega
  • ESPN
    2021 Fight of the Year vs. Brian Ortega
  • MMA Mania
    2021 Fight of the Year vs. Brian Ortega
  • MMA Sucka
    2021 Fight of the Year vs. Brian Ortega
  • BT Sport
    2022 Fighter of the Year
  • Amateur wrestling
    Australian National Schools Wrestling Competition
    Gold medal – 12/13 yrs 62 kg (2001)

MMA records

26 matches 25 wins 1 loss
By knockout 12 1
By submission 3 0
By decision 10 0