Quick Facts
Biography
Alexander Volkanovski (born 29 September 1988) is an Australian mixed martial artist and kickboxer. He won two times Featherweight Australian Fighting Championship (AFC). He is currently competing in the Ultimate Fighting Championship.
Background
Volkanovski was born in Shellharbour, NSW, Australia to Macedonian and Greek parents. He started training wrestling at an early age which he won an Australian title. He switched his focus to pursue rugby league where he won Australia Rugby Mick Cronin Medal in 2010 as Group 7 player with the Warilla Gorillas and won the Premiership with them in 2011.
Freestyle Fighting Gym trainer Joe Lopez said Volkanovski, who was man of the match in the 2011 Group Seven grand final when Warilla beat Gerringong, started training in MMA and Greco-Roman wrestling to keep fit for rugby league where he weighted 97 kg (214 Ib). However, he soon realised he had a passion for the sport and wants to go as far as he can. He switched to combat sport in 2012.
He appeared as a coach in Malaysia Invasion, an amateur MMA reality show. Volkanovski is a good counter striker with powerful overhand right and a fantastic offensive wrestler.
Mixed martial arts career
Prior to Ultimate Fighting Championship
Starting has an amateur, at middleweight, going 4–0 before turning professional. Volkanovski has fought in various MMA organisations in Oceania region in Asia from 2012 to July 2016 prior signed with UFC. He won Pacific Xtreme Combat (PXC) and two times Australian Fighting Championship Featherweight titles. Volkanovski amassed a record of 13–1 with 10 straight wins prior joining the UFC.
Ultimate Fighting Championship
Volkanovski made his promotional debut on 26 November 2016 and increased his win streak to 11 with a second-round TKO against Yusuke Kasuya at UFC Fight Night 101. He announced at the post fight press conference that he would drop from lightweight to featherweight for his next fight.
Volkanovski was expected to face Michel Quiones on 19 February 2017 at UFC Fight Night 105. However, the bout was scrapped after Quinones suffered an injury and no replacement could be found.
Volkanovski returned to Featherweight and faced Mizuto Hirota on 11 June 2017 at UFC Fight Night 110. He won the fight by unanimous decision.
Volkanovski is scheduled to face Jeremy Kennedy at UFC Fight Night: Hunt vs. Tybura on 19 November 2017 in Sydney, Australia.
Championships and accomplishments
- Australian Fighting Championship
- Australian Fighting Championship Featherweight Champion (Two times)
- Cage Conquest
- Cage Conquest Welterweight Champion
- Pacific Xtreme Combat
- PXC Featherweight Champion
- Roshambo MMA
- Roshambo MMA Lightweight Champion
- Roshambo MMA Welterweight Champion
- Wollongong Wars
- Wollongong Wars Lightweight Champion
Mixed martial arts record
| Professional record breakdown | ||
| 16 matches | 15 wins | 1 loss |
| By knockout | 9 | 1 |
| By submission | 3 | 0 |
| By decision | 3 | 0 |
| Res. | Record | Opponent | Method | Event | Date | Round | Time | Location | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Win | 15–1 | Mizuto Hirota | Decision (unanimous) | UFC Fight Night: Lewis vs. Hunt | 000000002017-06-11-000011 June 2017 | 3 | 5:00 | Auckland, New Zealand | Return to Featherweight. |
| Win | 14–1 | Yusuke Kasuya | TKO (punches) | UFC Fight Night: Whittaker vs. Brunson | 000000002016-11-26-000026 November 2016 | 2 | 2:06 | Melbourne, Australia | |
| Win | 13–1 | Jai Bradney | TKO (punches) | Wollongong Wars 4 | 000000002016-07-08-00008 July 2016 | 1 | N/A | Wollongong, Australia | Return to Lightweight. Won the Wollongong Wars Lightweight Championship. |
| Win | 12–1 | Jamie Mullarkey | KO (punch) | Australian Fighting Championship 15 | 000000002016-05-19-000019 May 2016 | 1 | 3:23 | Melbourne, Australia | Defended the AFC Featherweight Championship. |
| Win | 11–1 | Yusuke Yachi | Submission (triangle choke) | Pacific Xtreme Combat 50 | 000000002015-12-04-00004 December 2015 | 4 | 3:43 | Mangilao, Guam | Won the PXC Featherweight Championship. |
| Win | 10–1 | James Bishop | TKO (punches) | Australian Fighting Championship 13 | 000000002015-06-14-000014 June 2015 | 1 | 1:39 | Melbourne, Australia | Return to Featherweight. Won the AFC Featherweight Championship. |
| Win | 9–1 | David Butt | TKO (punches) | Wollongong Wars 2 | 000000002014-11-01-00001 November 2014 | 2 | 1:52 | Thirroul, Australia | |
| Win | 8–1 | Kyle Reyes | Decision (unanimous) | Pacific Xtreme Combat 45 | 000000002014-10-24-000024 October 2014 | 3 | 5:00 | Mangilao, Guam | Featherweight bout. |
| Win | 7–1 | Jai Bradney | Submission (rear-naked choke) | Roshambo MMA 3 – In the Cage | 000000002014-07-26-000026 July 2014 | 1 | 4:58 | Chandler, Australia | Defended the Roshambo MMA Lightweight Championship. |
| Win | 6–1 | Rodolfo Marques Diniz | KO (punch) | Australian Fighting Championship 9 | 000000002014-05-17-000017 May 2014 | 1 | 3:41 | Albury, Australia | Featherweight debut. |
| Win | 5–1 | Greg Atzori | Submission (guillotine choke) | Roshambo MMA 2 – In the Cage | 000000002014-02-01-00001 February 2014 | 1 | N/A | Brisbane, Australia | Lightweight debut. Won the Roshambo MMA Lightweight Championship. |
| Win | 4–1 | Luke Catubig | TKO (punches) | Australian Fighting Championship 7 | 000000002013-12-14-000014 December 2013 | 3 | 4:39 | Melbourne, Australia | |
| Loss | 3–1 | Corey Nelson | TKO (head kick and punches) | Australian Fighting Championship 5 | 000000002013-05-10-000010 May 2013 | 3 | 0:13 | Melbourne, Australia | AFC Welterweight Tournament Quarterfinal. |
| Win | 3–0 | Anton Zafir | TKO (punches) | Roshambo MMA 1 – In the Cage | 000000002013-04-17-000017 April 2013 | 4 | 2:19 | Brisbane, Australia | Won the Roshambo MMA Welterweight Championship. |
| Win | 2–0 | Regan Wilson | TKO (doctor stoppage) | Southern Fight Promotions – Cage Conquest 2 | 000000002013-02-23-000023 February 2013 | 1 | 2:49 | Nowra, Australia | Won the Cage Conquest Welterweight Championship. |
| Win | 1–0 | Gerhard Voigt | Decision (unanimous) | Revolution Promotions – Revolution at the Roxy | 000000002012-05-19-000019 May 2012 | 3 | 5:00 | Sydney, Australia |
