Gordon Bradbery
Mayor Denies UFC World Champion Alex Volkanovski Keys to City, Citing Violence Concerns
In a surprising move, the Lord Mayor of Wollongong, Gordon Bradbery, has made headlines by refusing to grant Alex Volkanovski, the current No.1 UFC fighter in the world, the keys to the city. Despite Volkanovski’s remarkable achievements and recent dominant victory over Yair Rodriguez at UFC 290, Mayor Bradbery staunchly believes that mixed martial arts (MMA) promotes violence and goes against the values of the community.
Volkanovski’s triumph against Rodriguez solidified his status as the featherweight champion and tied him with heavyweight champion Jon Jones at the pinnacle of the UFC’s pound-for-pound rankings. However, Mayor Bradbery has made it clear that he cannot endorse activities he deems violent, stating, “I also have a responsibility as the lord mayor of the city and as a responsible human being not to endorse those things which are violent.” [via Daily Mail] He firmly believes that UFC, despite its immense popularity and global appeal, clashes with the principles upheld by the community.
The decision has raised eyebrows, particularly because other prominent athletes have been honored with the keys to the city of Wollongong, such as swimmer Emma McKeon, motorcycle champion Wayne Gardner, and Olympic marathon runner Kerryn McCann. Wollongong MP Paul Cully has reportedly written multiple letters urging Mayor Bradbery to reconsider his stance.
Volkanovski trains at Freestyle Fighting Gym in Windang, a suburb of Wollongong, while residing with his family in Shellharbour. Interestingly, in 2020, he was awarded the keys to the City of Shellharbour following his initial UFC title win against Max Holloway. This latest development has left many wondering about the conflicting perceptions of Volkanovski’s achievements within different communities.
Despite the controversy, Volkanovski remains focused on his career and is already looking ahead to his next challenge. His win over Rodriguez marked his 11th consecutive victory in the featherweight division and solidified his status as the best pound-for-pound fighter in the world. UFC president Dana White, impressed by Volkanovski’s performance, has granted him the freedom to determine his next move, stating, “Volk looked incredible. He’s an absolute freak. He’s at one of those places in his career now where whatever he wants to do, what are we gunna say?”
While the denial of the keys to the city may disappoint Volkanovski and his fans, it highlights the ongoing debate surrounding the acceptance and recognition of combat sports in mainstream society. Only time will tell if Mayor Bradbery’s decision will have a lasting impact on the relationship between the UFC champion and the city of Wollongong.
In the aftermath of his successful title defense at UFC 290, Alexander Volkanovski, the reigning UFC Featherweight Champion, has clarified his previous comments about undergoing surgery. The Australian fighter has assured fans that the procedure won’t keep him out of action for an extended period, dismissing concerns about his availability for the upcoming pay-per-view event in Abu Dhabi.
Volkanovski’s victory over interim titleholder Yair Rodríguez demonstrated his dominance in the featherweight division, further solidifying his claim for the title of the greatest of all time (GOAT) at 145 pounds. Having previously challenged lightweight champion Islam Makhachev, Volkanovski was returning to his own weight class, where he has reigned supreme since 2019.
Ahead of his bout with Rodríguez, Volkanovski made it clear that he intended to secure a rematch with Makhachev by defeating top lightweight contender Charles Oliveira at UFC 284 in October. However, Oliveira’s recent announcement that he won’t be ready for that date led to speculation about Volkanovski’s chances of facing Makhachev again.
Addressing the media in his post-fight press conference, Volkanovski shed light on the nature of his upcoming surgery and emphasized that it wouldn’t hinder his return to the octagon for an extended period. Drawing from his experience of bouncing back from a more severe injury after UFC 276 in July of the previous year, the champion assured everyone that the surgery was a minor issue that he would quickly overcome.
“I didn’t mean to scare everyone with that,” Volkanovski clarified. “When I say I’m gonna do it, it’s not a big deal. I’ll be back ASAP. It will be a quick one, just need to get something sorted. But I’ll be training. Man, I broke my hand last International Fight Week, and you saw me at Abu Dhabi ready to fight Islam or Charles Oliveira. That was a broken bone. This ain’t a broken bone. You don’t need to stress about that… I’ll be back in there before most of the other champions anyway.”
Volkanovski also expressed his willingness to step in for Oliveira if needed, highlighting the irony of fighters requesting extra time while he himself would be recovering from surgery and potentially ready for the October event. He acknowledged that fighters like himself and Israel Adesanya are always ready to take on challenges and make the most of the opportunities presented to them.
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