‘Toughness, heart and grit’: UFC champion’s road to the top
“It’s not just about getting to the top – it’s about staying at the top.”
Few athletes can say that they reach the pinnacle of their sport. Few become champions, and even fewer stay there. That is not the case for Alexander Volkanovski.
Alex Volkanovski is the first Australian-born UFC champion in the history of the promotion – and one of only four men to ever hold the featherweight title.
Coming off a win against Brian Ortega – a bout that won the MMA Hour’s “Round of the year” award in 2021 – Volkanovski is already training for his next opponent, South Korean Chan Sung Jung, who he will be facing off against in April.
Between training sessions, Volkanovski spoke to Joel Rasmussen about his plans for 2022, the state of Australian mixed martial arts, and how he feels after 10 years of professional fighting.