Alexander Volkanovski rugby weight: How did the UFC featherweight champion look as a heavyweight?

UFC featherweight champion and current pound-for-pound number one fighter Alexander Volkanovski is all set to move up to the lightweight division and challenge current champion Islam Makhachev for champ-champ status at UFC 284.

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 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.

Alexander 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.

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The Underdog Champion: Alexander Volkanovski's Rise to the top

Alexander Volkanovski is recognized as the world's best pound-for-pound fighter. He's never been defeated in the UFC, amassing a 12-0 record since his debut in 2016. The Australian native has won 22 consecutive bouts and has successfully defended his UFC featherweight belt four times.

Despite all of that, Volkanovski will be the +320 underdog when he fights Islam Makhachev for the UFC lightweight championship in the main event of UFC 284 on Saturday in Perth, Australia.

Islam Makhachev, the UFC's No. 2 pound-for-pound fighter, is a powerful wrestler from the Russian province of Dagestan. He will have a four-inch height advantage and many feel he will also have a strong edge over the featherweight champion.