Alexander Volkanovski

Alexander Volkanovski, nicknamed "The Great," is an Australian mixed martial artist who competes in the featherweight division of the UFC.

Born and raised in the Wollongong region of New South Wales, Volkanovski played semi-professional rugby league before turning to combat sports in his early twenties. He cut his teeth on the Australian regional circuit, training out of Freestyle Fighting Gym in Wollongong, and built his early record while working a day job before committing fully to MMA. He later expanded his camp to include City Kickboxing in Auckland, New Zealand, under head coach Eugene Bareman, alongside training stints at Tiger Muay Thai in Phuket, Thailand.

Volkanovski holds a black belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and won regional titles, including promotions such as Pacific Xtreme Combat and the Australian Fighting Championship, before signing with the UFC.

Inside the cage, Volkanovski is known as a relentless, high-output counter striker who blends heavy hands, a dangerous overhand right, and crisp leg-kick volume with underrated offensive wrestling. His ability to control range, adjust game plans mid-fight, and grind out five-round championship pace has made him one of the most technically complete fighters in his weight class.

Volkanovski won the UFC Featherweight Championship by defeating Max Holloway at UFC 245 and went on to defend the belt multiple times, including further wins over Holloway, Brian Ortega, and Yair Rodriguez. Earlier in his career he defeated Jose Aldo. He twice challenged Islam Makhachev for the UFC Lightweight Championship, and after losing his featherweight title to Ilia Topuria, reclaimed the vacant belt with a win over Diego Lopes at UFC 314, later meeting Lopes again in a title rematch.

Volkanovski is widely regarded as one of the greatest featherweights in UFC history, having tied Jose Aldo's promotional record for title-fight victories in the division. As the first Australian-born UFC champion, he is remembered for his durability, fight IQ, and willingness to test himself against the best across two weight classes.