Alexander Volkanovski doesn’t think he’s the featherweight GOAT yet, but is getting close

Alexander Volkanovski thinks he is closing the gap on becoming the featherweight GOAT.

Volkanovski has three title defenses under his belt including two wins over Max Holloway and a win over Jose Aldo before he became the champion. With that, he thinks all he needs is more title defenses as he thinks Aldo is still the GOAT right now, but he is closing the gap.

“I believe I’ve still got more work to do. I give Aldo the respect. To be champion for as long as he was is incredible. No matter – the opposition that I’m facing with guys like himself and Max, I think I’m fighting absolute killers,” Volkanovski said at media day. “It’s pretty clear. But at the same time, to be champion that long, there’s going to be days you don’t show up, injuries, bad weight cuts – we’ve all done it. It’s a nightmare to not be on a day you’ve got to defend your belt. And for him to be for so long, it’s saying something.”

According to Volkanovski, he says given how long Aldo held the belt and how many defenses he has, that is the only thing that is stopping him from being the 145lbs GOAT.

“Do I think I need that many defenses? No, I don’t,” Volkanovski said. “Do I think I’m there right now? No, I’m not going to claim that yet. I’m going to go ahead and do my thing. If people want to claim it for me, all good. But I’ve still got some work to do.”

Alexander Volkanovski can get his fourth title defense in the main event of UFC 273 as he battles Korean Zombie which he believes is a legacy fight and takes him one step closer to being the GOAT.

“This is a legacy fight,” Volkanovski said. “I’ve taken out a lot of the legends, and I want to keep taking out legends. He’s definitely one of them. He’s earned this spot. He definitely has.”