From Rugby League to UFC champ: meet Alexander "The Great" Volkanovski

As a young man, he dreamed of playing in the National Rugby League, but Alexander Volkanovski soon found himself on the Australian martial arts scene. He is considered one of the best mixed martial arts fighters in Australia, unbeaten over the past five years. The former concreter, who worked in the family business, is firmly determined to bring Australia a championship belt in the UFC.

Source: Supplied

We begin the story of Alexander 'The Great' Volkanovski from the end with his last victory.

At the UFC Fight Night 121 event that took place on November 18 in Sydney, Alexander Volkanovski beat out Shane Young of New Zealand in his debut fight.

Alexander The Great Volkanovski in action against Young Source: Supplied

Volkanovski won, not with a knockout as expected, but with a unanimous decision of the judges.

Below: Some of the highlights from the fight between Alexander "The Great" Volkanovski and Shane Young.

Born and raised in Shellharbour, on New South Wales' South Coast, where he still lives, Alexander Volkanovski shares the story of his background. 

"My father is from the village of Beranci, Macedonia, and my mother is from Greece," he tells SBS Macedonian. "My surname Volkanovski comes from my father's side, so I have many Macedonian supporters and I really appreciate it."

"My origin was one of the reasons for changing the nickname from ''The HULK " into  Alexander "The Great" Volkanovski.

Source: Supplied

Like the children of many migrants, Alexander first started out training in football. From there he moved to wrestling Greek-Roman and free style. He was particularly successful in wrestling.

"I trained hard and it paid off," he says. "I won two titles as a national champion in Australia. As I struggled, I lost only two fights, one with my older brother."

The desire to prove himself in new sports and reach new feats was the reason to leave the wrestling and start running the ball in the Rugby League. He played for more clubs and with Warilla Gorillas, won the New South Wales 2011 Country  Group 7.

He was named the best player and won the Mick Cronin Award. To the surprise of many though, he soon the rugby league and decides to compete in mixed martial arts MMA.

"As I played Rugby, parallel [to this] I began to train MMA to be as fit as possible," he explains.

"I know that many were surprised and disappointed, but I love mixed martial arts and I decided that they are my main sport."

"I know it's crazy but it's functioning for now."

Alexander Volkanovski like a Rugby Player Source: Supplied

After several months of preparations, Alexander begins an amateur competition. Four fights and as easy and quick wins with a knockout. It was like a recommendation to move to professionals as soon as possible.

"The fighting and the victories as an amateur were a good experience for me to move to professional clubs as soon as possible and to earn money because I am a family man, but also to join UFC."

From 97 kg Rugby league player to 66 kg UFC Featherweight. What a dramatic transformation. Source: Supplied

As a professional in MMA Volkanovski won in the first three fights and in the fourth he underwent the only defeat.

Last year in November his desire was fulfilled. In Melbourne, he had the first UFC fight and won Yusuke Kasai. In June this year, in Auckland he defeated the second Japanese UFC fighter Mizuto Hirota.

"To be a founder of UFC means a lot to me. I've got everything to go and now I'm in UFC as a professional and I'm making a living. Being in UFC is a great promotion for me because I have more fans from all over Australia," says Volkanovski

Volkanovski defeated Hirota in his second UFC fight Source: Supplied

Alexander "The Great" Volkanovski has changed between several different categories throughout his career according to his weight.

Now weighing in at just 67 kg he competes in a featherweight category. In addition to his name his professional in the last five years, he has had 16 wins and only one loss with a total of 13 victories in a row.   

To achieve these successes, Alexander says he trains six days a week.                

"Every morning I run, then I practice strokes and Brazilian Jujitsu," he says. "Then I continue in the afternoon with wrestling and other exercises. I practice six days a week and I do three to four sessions per day."

Alexander Volkanovski says that his strongest weapon during his fights, is his right-hand shot.

"My right-hand hit is my favourite. I'm hitting and knocking out the opponent. My right hand that earns money is definitely my strongest weapon."

Strike with Volkanovski's strong right hand. Source: Supplied

And with his strong right hand and hard training so far he has won several titles including, PXC World Featherweight Champion, AFC Featherweight Champion 2X, WARS MMA Welterweight Champion, WARS MMA Featherweight Champion, RMMA Welterweight Champion, RMMA Lightweight Champion, Cage Conquest Welterweight Champion, Tapology Ranked pound for pound number one in Australia and New Zealand and South East Asia, Fight Matrix Number one ranked Featherweight and Lightweight in Oceania.

Alex Volkanovski has won a number of belts in Australia Source: SBS

Australia has had few international UFC champions, but Volkanovski is eager to become one of the first.

"My ambitions are not just to fight in the UFC, but I want to climb to the top in my category, and bring it to Australia the UFC championship belt."

Cage fighting, or mixed martial arts, is the world's toughest sport, widely thought of as an ultra-violent free for all. The documentary Caged goes beyond the controversial headlines into real, personal stories of ordinary Australians turned unlikely athletes. Streaming now at SBS On Demand and below:

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