Volkanovski
Overview
Alexander Volkanovski (September 29, 1988 – ) is an Australian mixed martial arts (MMA) fighter and UFC featherweight champion. Known by the nickname 'The Great', he is regarded for excellent ring craft, overwhelming stamina, and high fight IQ that allows him to change his game plan according to the situation. After first taking the UFC featherweight throne in 2019, he defended the title five times, lost it in 2024, and returned to the champion position in 2025 by winning a vacant title fight.
Main Content
Background and Early Career
Volkanovski is from Wollongong, New South Wales, Australia, and developed athleticism from childhood while playing rugby league. As an adult, he started MMA late while working as a concrete worker; after his professional debut in 2012, he held the featherweight championship in Australian regional organizations AFC and Wollongong Wars. His record before entering the UFC was 11 wins and 1 loss, and although he originally had a physique closer to welterweight, he secured competitiveness by cutting weight to featherweight.
UFC Entry and Rise
He debuted at UFC Melbourne in November 2016 and continued a winning streak without defeat afterward. He defeated Jeremy Kennedy, Mizuto Hirota, Shane Young, and Darren Elkins in succession, and in 2018 Chad Mendes, and in May 2019 at UFC 237 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, he earned a title shot by defeating former champion José Aldo by unanimous decision.
Becoming Champion and Title Defenses
In December 2019 at UFC 245, he defeated Max Holloway to become featherweight champion. He then won a controversial split decision over Holloway at UFC 251, and at UFC 266 showed focus by enduring Brian Ortega's submission attacks and won. At UFC 273, he defeated Korea's Jung Chan-sung (정찬성) by fourth-round TKO, at UFC 276 finished a third fight with Holloway by decision, and at UFC 290 defeated Yair Rodríguez by third-round TKO to succeed in his fifth defense.
Lightweight Challenge and Downturn
In February 2023 at UFC 284, he moved up to lightweight champion Islam Makhachev's division and lost a close decision, but the fight was so close that many argued Volkanovski had won. In October of the same year at UFC 294, he took a rematch on short notice and lost by first-round KO. Then in February 2024 at UFC 298, he was defeated by Ilia Topuria via second-round KO, surrendering the title after about four years.
Return as Champion
In April 2025 at UFC 314, he faced Diego Lopes for the vacant featherweight title after Topuria moved up to lightweight, and won by unanimous decision, returning to the champion position with a career record of 27 wins and 4 losses.
Recent Developments
As of 2025, Volkanovski, though in his late 30s, maintains top-level featherweight ability, and title defenses against next-generation challengers such as Movsar Evloev are being discussed. With Topuria changing divisions and the featherweight landscape being reshaped, the key task for Volkanovski is considered to be defending the throne against the new generation with veteran fight management and stamina. He became widely known to Korean fans through his fight with Jung Chan-sung, and the timing of his retirement and the possibility of a division change are also emerging as major points of interest.
Related Topics
- [[UFC]]
- [[정찬성]]
- [[종합투기]]
- [[맥스 할러웨이]]
- [[일리아 토푸리아]]