At 38 years outdated, Alexander Volkanovski is about to do one thing no different UFC featherweight champion has ever come near matching. On October 24, the Australian will defend his title towards Movsar Evloev, placing one other chapter right into a championship run that has already separated him from each different fighter within the division’s historical past.
Featherweight has had some legendary champions. José Aldo dominated the division for years. Max Holloway constructed one of many biggest résumés in UFC historical past. Ilia Topuria reached the highest with the boldness of a fighter who believed he was destined to be there. Conor McGregor turned a celebrity after profitable the belt, even when he by no means defended it.
However none of them had been doing this at 38.
Aldo made his remaining featherweight title protection earlier than turning 30. Holloway was 28 when he misplaced the belt to Volkanovski, whereas Topuria was simply 27 when he turned champion. McGregor received the title at 27 and by no means returned to defend it. Volkanovski, in the meantime, received the belt at 31 and remains to be going through the division’s greatest contenders seven years later.
That is what makes this run so exceptional. Volkanovski is not hanging round for a farewell combat or getting a title protection towards a reputation the UFC can promote to informal followers. He is making ready to face an undefeated contender who has earned his shot the exhausting means.
Movsar Evloev won’t be everybody’s thought of an thrilling fighter. He has struggled to seek out finishes, and his fashion can depart followers wanting extra motion. However judging a contender solely by spotlight reels misses the purpose. Evloev has overwhelmed everybody put in entrance of him, labored his means by means of a crowded featherweight division and put collectively the type of resume that makes a title shot tough to disclaim.
He did not get right here as a result of the UFC wanted a brand new challenger. He received right here as a result of he saved profitable.
There’s one thing becoming concerning the matchup, too. Evloev made his UFC debut in 2019, simply months earlier than Volkanovski started his first championship reign. They’re merchandise of various phases of the game, but they’re assembly now with the identical prize on the road. One represents the champion who has refused to fade away; the opposite is the undefeated contender who desires to take his place.
And that’s the actual check for Volkanovski. Age is not only a quantity in MMA. Each camp, each exhausting sparring session and each five-round combat takes one thing out of a fighter. At 38, Volkanovski is competing in a sport that not often permits its champions to remain on high for this lengthy, particularly in a division crammed with youthful, hungry contenders.
But he retains discovering methods to win.
A victory over Evloev could be one other main assertion in a profession that already belongs within the dialog among the many biggest fighters of all time. Volkanovski has confronted elite opposition throughout a number of generations, and he continues to place his legacy on the road towards the following man in line slightly than defending it from threat.
The all-time high 10 dialog is already justified. However beating Evloev would make the argument for Volkanovski’s place amongst MMA’s absolute greats even tougher to dismiss. A fighter who received his first title in his early 30s and remains to be defending it at 38 towards a respectable, undefeated contender is doing greater than extending his profession. He is redefining what longevity on the high can appear to be.
Featherweight historical past has given us dominant champions, iconic rivalries and stars who modified the game. Volkanovski has already earned his place alongside.
