Alexander Volkanovski
Rugby league player turned two-time UFC featherweight champion
- Born
- September 29, 1988, Wollongong, New South Wales, Australia
- Nationality
Australia- Height
- 168 cm (5′6″)
- Reach
- 182 cm (6′0″)
- Stance
- Orthodox
- Style
- Counter-striking wrestler
- Weight
- Featherweight, Lightweight, Welterweight
- Active
- 2012–present
- Status
- Active · age 38
The record
Professional MMA. Reigning UFC featherweight champion; scheduled to face Movsar Evloev at UFC 333 on 24 October 2026. record
The story
lexander Volkanovski won two national Greco-Roman wrestling titles at the age of 12 and later played semi-professional rugby league before committing to MMA. He took the UFC featherweight title from Max Holloway in 2019 and defended it five times, including two more wins over Holloway and stoppages of Chan Sung Jung and Yair Rodríguez. He is a sharp counter-striker with a heavy overhand right and punishing leg kicks, landing 75 in his first Holloway fight, a featherweight record, and he backs it with strong offensive wrestling. Two attempts at Islam Makhachev's lightweight title failed in 2023, and Ilia Topuria knocked him out for the featherweight belt in 2024. At 36 he beat Diego Lopes to regain the title in 2025, beat Lopes again in 2026, and is scheduled to face Movsar Evloev at UFC 333 in October.
Tap a technique with an arrow to learn how it works.
- UFC featherweight champion (2 reigns, 6 successful defenses)
- Charles 'Mask' Lewis Fighter of the Year (2022)
- UFC.com Fighter of the Year (2022)
Defining fights
- 2019WINvs Max Holloway (UD, won UFC featherweight title)
- 2021WINvs Brian Ortega (UD, title defense)
- 2023LOSSvs Islam Makhachev (UD, lightweight title fight)
- 2024LOSSvs Ilia Topuria (KO R2, lost title)
- 2025WINvs Diego Lopes (UD, regained title)
Attack the lead leg with kicks until the opponent's stance changes, then land the overhand right over the top. Kickboxing students can drill low-kick-to-overhand combinations, and wrestling students can add his offensive takedowns off the same setups.
