Alexander Volkanovski of Australia celebrates after his split-decision victory over Max Holloway in their UFC featherweight championship fight during the UFC 251 event at Flash Forum on UFC Fight Island on July 12, 2020 on Yas Island, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. (Photo by Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images)
Ahead of his main event fight against The Korean Zombie at UFC 273, we look at the record of Alexander Volkanovski and UFC debut
City Kickboxing fighter and UFC featherweight champion Alexander Volkanovski’s first exposure to combat sports began when he started training in Greco-Roman wrestling at an early age and ended up winning the national title when he was 12. However, he decided to give up wrestling when he was 14 and instead directed his focus on a career in rugby league as a front-rower.
Volkanovski funnily started training in wrestling and MMA just to stay in shape for the rugby season, but soon realized that his true calling was a professional mixed martial artist. Although he primarily fights out of Freestyle Fighting Gym in Wollongong, he regularly completes training camps at Tiger Muay Thai in Phuket and City Kickboxing in Auckland with fellow UFC fighters Israel Adesanya, Dan Hooker and Kai Kara-France.
Volkanovski who also has some prior professional boxing experience, won the AFC featherweight championship in 2015, and defended the title twice before finally making his UFC debut in 2016. He entered the promotion with an impressive 13-1 record.
Volkanovski made his UFC debut against Yusuke Kasuya, and won the fight by TKO in the second round. After roping in five straight wins inside the octagon, he would go on to face former title contender Chad Mendes in his biggest test so far. He made a statement by winning the bout via TKO in the second round, and put the featherweight division on notice with that performance.
He would then go on to defeat featherweight legend Jose Aldo, and one of the greatest featherweights of all-time Max Holloway twice. His last fight against Brian Ortega was an absolute barn burner and one for the history books.
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