What’s at stake for Alexander Volkanovski?
Alexander Volkanovski may be the most well rounded fighter I’ve ever seen. There’s not an area of mixed martial arts that he’s not proficient in. But being a good fighter and being an accomplished fighter aren’t the same things. Accomplishments are what separates fighters like Joseph Benavidez from Georges St-Pierre.
Volkanovski is already one of the all time greats of the sport. But he is not on many’s Mt. Rushmore of MMA. He’s not quite to the level of Jon Jones, GSP, Anderson Silva, and Jose Aldo. But Volkanovski hasn’t had the time to do so.
This weekend he will get his second chance at a different level of greatness. After losing to Islam Makhachev at UFC 284, Volkanovski lost his shot at double champion status. He also snapped a mind-bending 22 fight win streak in the process. But he was still champion in his division.
Alexander Volkanovski: A chance at greatness
What Alexander Volkanovski is getting this weekend at UFC 294 is a rare, second shot at greatness. His last shot at the lightweight title was the type of fight that left us with questions about who should have won the fight.
I’m not saying Makhachev’s win over Volkanovski was a robbery. It was a close fight. It wasn’t definitive and fans were hungry for more.
This will be Volkanovski’s last shot at the lightweight title unless Makhachev vacates immediately after. He’s already edging Jose Aldo for the claim at the featherweight GOAT. But divisional greats aren’t the same as fighters who transcend the sport.
Should he win, the added lore will be that Volkanovski got the job done on less than two weeks notice. Makhachev and, extending out, Khabib Nurmagomedov’s legacy is one of dominance. To dethrone the Dagestani dynasty would be akin to Tyson Fury finally ending Wladimir Klitschko’s nine year reign over boxing’s heavyweight division.
He’s not chasing Aldo at this point. He’s chasing his own path. His own story.
