Alexander “The Great” Volkanovski is the current Featherweight UFC champion from Shellharbour, Australia, and has fought in the UFC since 2016. Volkanovski has a record of 28-4 and can fight with a southpaw and orthodox stance. Volkanovski has a very impressive record; some of his best achievements are beating Max “Blessed” Holloway 3 times, and being a 2-time champion, having 4 title defenses and 1 defense currently. UFC 325 has sparked a lot of conversation about whether Volkanovski is worthy of being in the top 5 all-time UFC fighters, but does he deserve it?
Alexander Volkanovski’s career is marked by monumental fights and a very impressive record that has beyond proven his worth in the UFC. He started his career with a 5-fight win streak with impressive, dominant decisions and finishes. The fights impressed the CEO Dana White, giving him fights with two legends: Chad “Money” Mendes, and after that, Jose “Junior” Aldo. The most important of those victories came in 2019 when he challenged and defeated Holloway to win the belt. After gaining the title, Volkanovski successfully defended his belt 4 times, with rematches against Holloway. He also beat tough opponents like Ortega, Lopes, and Sung Jung throughout his career
One of Volkanovski’s best qualities is his unwavering ability to never give up, even in the most difficult and impossible moments, to come back moments later. No matter the situation, he displays a mental toughness that keeps him fighting. For example, despite suffering devastating knockouts against Islam Makhachev and Ilia Topuria, he still took the rematch against Makhachev. His ability to stay mentally strong after setbacks shows his true character. This resilience and willingness to confront challenges head-on highlight his character as a fighter and make him a role model for fans and fighters alike.
When comparing Volkanovski to Anderson “The Spider” Silva, the widely respected 5th best of all time. Silva is widely regarded as one of the greatest of all time, known for his record-setting 10 title defenses, innovative striking, and long, dominant reign as UFC Middleweight Champion that revolutionized the sport. His ability to finish fights with creative techniques and his sustained excellence over nearly a decade set a high standard for MMA greatness. While Volkanovski’s career is only in its 9th year, he has already shown similar characteristics, Great fight IQ, resilience, adaptability, and a relentless work ethic. Like Silva, he is a well-rounded fighter who could take his spot if he continues to defend his title and face the best of the best; he has the potential to reach Silva’s legendary status. However, Silva’s career was characterized by long-term dominance and record-breaking defenses that cemented his legacy. Volkanovski has the potential to be better than Silva, but has just not had enough title defenses and fights to prove it yet.
In conclusion, Volkanovski has the potential to become the 5th greatest fighter of all time because of his impressive record, and his mindset would allow him to do so, but when compared to the other greats like St-Pierre, Johnson, Jones, Cormier, and Silva, he comes up short because he has not defended his title.
