Why Is Alexander Volkanovski the Greatest Featherweight?

The debate over the greatest MMA fighter of all time will probably never end. Jon Jones, Georges St-Pierre, Anderson Silva, Fedor Emelianenko, and a handful of other names have legitimate claims depending on what you value most in a resume.

Even choosing one name for one division is quite hard, but when it comes down to featherweight, you'd be pretty sure as to who's the GOAT. It's Alexander 'The Great' Volkanovski. This man's resume checks all the boxes we need to give him the elusive title of the undisputed divisional GOAT.

It is relatively easier to choose one GOAT in featherweight compared to other weight divisions.

Who Is The Featherweight GOAT- Aldo, Holloway, or Volkanovski?

In this category, two names stand out: Jose Aldo and Max Holloway. If you were only considering individual performances, one might start with Ilia and Conor, but more significance should be given to longevity at the top, title-fight wins, and the quality of competition to define greatness at that weight.

Jose Aldo is one of the pioneers of featherweight: a UFC Hall of Famer with eight UFC title fight victories and three WEC featherweight championship victories.

No doubt, an absolute legend. They call him The King of Rio. He was even able to recapture the title after losing it to Conor McGregor, a praiseworthy feat. Jose Aldo had a really long run at the top of the division, but in retrospect, the depth of the featherweight division back then was incomparable to what it is now. To his credit, Aldo was much ahead of his peers.

Max Holloway also had a great run ruling this division. 'Blessed' holds six UFC title fight victories. But his championship rivals were next level compared to Aldo's. His fighting style was louder and more emphatic compared to Aldo's defensive and tactical approach.

Although Max's resume has an upper hand in terms of competition, he was not able to reclaim his lost title and spent less time at the top. That's where Volkanovski separates from both featherweight greats. With his latest successful title defense at UFC 333, Volkanovski moved ahead of Aldo for the most UFC featherweight title wins, reaching nine.

In his first run, he won the title and successfully defended it five times. When he dropped the belt to Topuria, people wrote him out, but Volk showed off his champion's character, regrouped, and captured the title again; now, in his second reign, he has defended it three times.

Volkanovski has been sitting on the featherweight throne longer than Holloway and has faced tougher competition than Aldo. Also, don't forget, the Australian holds a victory over Aldo and three over Holloway.

He has taken on all comers, legends, prospects, grapplers, and strikers; everyone has fallen short in front of Alex at featherweight except for one man named Topuria. Here's an interesting fact: Out of his 33-fight MMA career, Alexander has lost only once at featherweight; otherwise, he's defeated every single 145-pounder that has stepped in the cage with him. 

Alexander Volkanovski Has The Best Featherweight Resume 

Talking about great performances, certainly McGregor and Topuria had exceptional ones in their short tenure at featherweight, but so has Alexander.

Volkanovski's performance over Movsar Evloev was amazing, especially considering he's 38 and already has a living legend's status. His 2 back-to-back action-packed wars with Diego Lopes will be one of the best featherweight title bouts. The one-sided beating he put on Yair Rodriguez and Korean Zombie. Of course, the iconic comeback he made against Brian Ortega, and how can anyone forget what he did to Max Holloway in their trilogy fight?

All of the other featherweight champions did their part, but what Volkanovski has in terms of ruling this particular division is pure historical. Even if Alexander Volkanovski decides to retire right now, he's done enough to cement his legacy as the greatest featherweight fighter of all time.