UFC 294: Alex Volkanovski fighting for UFC legacy and respect at home

Alex Volkanovski is a global star, a pound-for-pound UFC great and could create history this weekend. So why doesn’t he get proper recognition in Australia?

Even in enemy territory in Abu Dhabi, Alex Volkanovski is a fan favourite. Picture: Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images

Alex Volkanovski is waging a two-pronged battle at UFC 294 this weekend.

On one hand, his late-notice lightweight title fight against Islam Makhachev is a legacy bout. With a win, he’ll become one of just four fighters to simultaneously hold belts in two different divisions, and he’ll cement his place as one of the greatest to do it.

At home, though, he’s still fighting a battle for the respect and recognition that his achievements deserve.

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Champ x2

In the history of the UFC, only four fighters have ever held world titles in two different weight classes simultaneously.

They include some of the best and biggest stars the sport has seen.

Conor McGregor was the first to do it, at featherweight and lightweight, but he didn’t defend either belt.

Daniel Cormier claimed light-heavyweight and heavyweight gold in 2018. He won and defended the heavyweight title while still holding the light-heavyweight belt, but left the 205-pound division before making simultaneous defences.

Conor McGregor became the first UFC fighter to hold belts in two different weight classes at the same time. Picture: Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images

Likewise, Henry Cejudo, who held the flyweight and bantamweight titles at the same time, but only defended the bantamweight belt while he was double champ.

Amanda Nunes is the only fighter to hold and defend titles in two separate weight classes at the same time, which she did for the better part of four years at bantamweight and featherweight.

That’s the level Volkanovski is aspiring to.

“I’ve been saying for a while that this is what I want to do,” Volkanovski says. “I want to go out there, become double champ, keep two divisions busy and fight again in January.

“I am going to keep two divisions busy, we haven’t had many people do that.

“It’s something that will add to my legacy.”

Volkanovski cemented his spot at one of the greatest featherweights ever with a win over Yair Rodriguez in July. Picture: Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images

Volkanovski’s dominance is such that even the stubborn UFC president Dana White is willing to make an exception for him.

“The guy is an absolute freak,” White says. “He’s at one of those places where whatever he wants to do, what are we gonna say? He’s proved himself a million times.

“Whatever he wants to do, we’ll probably roll with it.”

Peoples’ champ

Whether it’s in Las Vegas or Abu Dhabi, Volkanovski can barely walk through a hotel lobby in fight week without being swamped by fans asking for photos and autographs.

One American punter hunted him down at the Welcome to Fabulous Las Vegas sign in July and asked him to sign a collection of memorabilia.

Signed Volkanovski cards fetch a pretty penny he reckons.

Volkanovski signs memorabilia for a punter in Las Vegas. Picture: Brendan Bradford

He counts NBA superstar Jamal Murray as a mate, and has holidayed with Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg.

Shaq DJ’d at his Las Vegas victory party after UFC 290 in July.

Volkanovski says he feels the same kind of love from the fans in Australia, but for some reason, he doesn’t get that kind of appreciation more broadly.

He’s cautious when asked if he feels he gets the respect of the mainstream public back home.

“It’s getting pretty big in Australia now, but obviously there’s some demographics that don’t watch it,” he tells this masthead. “I’m quite surprised, because, how do I say this …?

“I feel like it’s a massive change, and I feel like people know me and what I’m doing, but, to be honest, I don’t think I get the respect for what I’m doing and how big it is.”

He pauses again, choosing his words carefully.

“How can I say this, because I don’t want to offend you, because you guys are over here covering us, and I really appreciate that, but, you’re not gonna see me on the news,” he says. “Here I am defending my belt, doing all this crazy stuff that all of Australia is talking about.

“But you won’t see it on the news. I don’t get any recognition from them. They don’t want to, but I do get it from the people.”

Risk vs Reward

That’s why this weekend’s fight in Abu Dhabi, which Volkanovski accepted on just 12 days’ notice offers Volkanovski such a huge opportunity.

There’s also a massive amount of risk involved.

“If I was to lose, my legacy takes a big hit,” he says. “If I was to lose, I don’t get another shot at Makhachev. I probably don’t get another shot at the lightweight title.

“There’s still a lot to lose for me.”

Volkanovski (R) rematches Islam Makhachev (L) for the lightweight title this weekend. Picture: Paul Kane/Getty Images

But a win will enhance his legacy among the diehards, and hopefully keep changing ignorant opinions from Australia about the sport he dominates.

At 35, he also knows his time is limited, and victory can propel him into the kind of mega-fights that everyone everywhere will tune in to.

“If I could be on UFC 300, you can imagine what that would be like, that would be huge on a global scale,” he says. “I want those big fights, and there’s a lot of them at lightweight.

“You’ve got Justin Gaethje, Dustin Poirier and you’ve got Conor McGregor. He keeps tweeting about me just because every time I get hype, he doesn’t like it.

“And how much longer do I have? I feel great – I do. And I’d like to think I could do this for another six years, but surely it’s going to start taking its toll soon.

“Age is going to catch up, so I need to be very active and very effective with the rest of my career.”

Originally published as UFC 294: Alex Volkanovski fighting for UFC legacy and respect at home