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Former UFC featherweight champion Alexander Volkanovski is all set to return to competition and face Diego Lopes for the vacant 145-pound title on April 12.
Volkanovski began training in martial arts as a teenager and eventually found his way to the sport of mixed martial arts. He made his professional MMA debut in 2012 and quickly built a reputation as one of Australia's top prospects. However, the former 145-pound kingpin not long ago was a rugby player weighing roughly 214 pounds.
For those who grew up watching the Australian in New South Wales, 'Volka' was simply doing what he had done his whole sports career. Alexander Volkanovski, who stands at 5-foot-6, used to play as a semi-professional forward in rugby league, a sport typically played by larger individuals. He was highly regarded as one of the best rugby players in his region.
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Volkanovski was a semi-professional rugby league player for Warilla Gorillas in the South Coast Rugby League. In 2010, he was awarded the Mick Cronin Medal, which is given to the league's best player. During the 2011 season, he played a significant role in helping his team, Warilla Gorillas, win the Premiership and was named Man of the Match for his outstanding performance in the Grand Final win against Gerringong.
The Underdog Champion: Alexander Volkanovski's Rise to the top
Alexander Volkanovski is recognized as one of the greatest featherweights in MMA history, amassing a 13-1 record in the division since his UFC debut in 2016. The Australian native went on a 23-fight win streak and successfully defended his UFC featherweight belt five times.
Despite the dominant run, Volkanovski did not receive a similar kind of praise until late in his career. The former 145-pound champion was considered vulnerable in many of his title fights, but he eventually found his way to the top, becoming the No.1-ranked pound-for-pound fighter.
The MMA community's faith in Volkanovski's skills has only strengthened in recent years. Despite suffering back-to-back defeats against Islam Makhachev and Ilia Topuria in recent bouts, Volkanovski is a betting favorite heading into his UFC 314 vacant featherweight title fight on April 12.
