Australian Mixed Martial Arts fighter Alex Volkanovski has won his past 17 fights - a streak dating back to 2013 which included seven victories in the world's toughest MMA promotion, the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC).
In his last showing in May, he defeated Brazilian UFC legend José Aldo in a unanimous judges' decision.
That victory earned Volkanovski the top spot in UFC featherweight rankings and paved the way for a December showdown with division champion Max Holloway, touted by many as one of the sport's finest talents.
Not bad for a man who only began training in MMA as a way to keep fit in-between rugby seasons.
Before he decided to lace up the gloves full-time in 2012, Volkanovski was a front-row forward for the Warilla Gorillas, a rugby league team based in Lake Illawarra, NSW.
He played rugby league for almost a decade and even aspired to play in the National Rugby League.
"I love rugby league, I was a 96-kilo front-rower. I wanted to keep fit in-between seasons so as preseason training I started coming to a freestyle fighting gym where I still train today, just to keep fit and maybe lose a few kilos," he told SBS.
"I took a liking to it [fighting], it was pretty clear that I was good at it. During my last year of football, I had a couple of fights that year - I won them - and won the grand final in league."
He went on to win his opening amateur bouts before turning professional in May 2012. He fought in various MMA promotions in the Asia-Oceania region, winning numerous accolades including the Australian Fighting Championship featherweight title, before signing for the UFC in 2016.
His professional record currently stands at 20 wins from 21 fights, with 11 victories coming by way of knock out.
"I've always said even before I was in the UFC, I'm not just here to be a part, or be a number in the UFC, I want to take these top ranks. I want to be a champion.
"I've always said that. I’ve always believed it and now it’s happening."
Greek-Macedonian
Volkanovski hails from NSW's Illawarra region and has Greek and Macedonian ancestry, a mix he admits can be "funny" to outsiders.
"Life was good at home, my parents did whatever they could to make life easy for us. My dad worked really hard in a concreting business he had," he said.
"Macedonian and Greek - that’s a funny mix as well. I don’t get into the political side of things with that. I know enough to not get involved with that and I don’t want to. I cop enough on that on my social media.
"The times have changed in that we all are one, I’m sure you do get some Macedonians and Greeks that grow up here and they think 'I can do this’.
"But obviously I’m Aussie, I’m as Aussie as they come. I’m very proud of my heritage and it made me who I am, I have that warrior blood in me."
The battle begins at the scale
For a fight in the featherweight division, Volkanovski must weigh-in the day before a fight at or under 66 kilograms.
Failure to make weight can result in the forfeiture of a portion of his fight purse.
With his rugby league days behind him, Volkanovski admits that cutting down is easier these days.
"I stay at a pretty good weight now, all year round I’m about 74kg so that still does seem a bit steep for me for 66kg, but I hold a lot of water and I get that off really easy."
Volkanovski's fight with division champion Hollaway will serve as the co-main event during UFC 245 in Las Vegas, which takes place on December 14 local time (December 15 in Australia).
