Alexander Volkanovski has defeated just about every top featherweight Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) has ever had to offer, but the reigning Australian champion is missing one name on his 145-pound mantle. That’s Conor McGregor.
Over the course of a seven-year UFC career Volkanovski has defeated the likes of Max Holloway (three times), Jose Aldo, Chad Mendes, Chan Sung Jung “Korean Zombie,” and Brian Ortega. Those are some of the greatest names in the history of UFC’s 145-pound division and a reason why Volkanovski is considered the pound-for-pound best fighter in the world today.
With four-straight UFC featherweight title defenses in the book Volkanovski is now worried about creating a lasting legacy inside of the Octagon. The 34-year-old champion is already considered one of the best featherweight fighters of all time alongside Aldo and Holloway, but Volkanovski strives for one more big accomplishment at 145 pounds, which is a dream fight against McGregor.
“It’s pretty easy for me in saying Conor McGregor because he was in featherweight,” Volkanovski said on The MMA Fan Podcast. “He was a featherweight. We’ve got to remember the champions I’ve beat. I’ve beat every other champion in the featherweight division.
“The only champ I haven’t fought in the featherweight division is Conor McGregor. Conor McGregor in his prime in featherweight division would obviously be the all-time – I’m sure everyone would want to see that right now. If we could make that happen right now, somehow get prime Conor vs. prime Volk, it would be pretty special.”
McGregor, who turned in a 7-0 record as a member of the UFC featherweight roster, left the division behind in 2016 for two bouts with Nate Diaz, a boxing match with Floyd Mayweather Jr., and then an eventual shot at the UFC lightweight title. “Notorious” was so damn magical at the featherweight level that it’s scary to think what he could have done if he stayed in the weight class.
While a fight with McGregor is the biggest payday in the sport today Volkanovski is adamant that he favors legacy over fortune at this point in his career.
“Everyone’s going to talk about the money, and that’s why you only want that fight,” Volkanovski said. “Yeah, of course there’s money in it, the circus around it, the hype, all of that. But you talk about legacy, you know then I would have beaten every featherweight champion, and I plan on having the most defenses as well.”
Thoughts? Who would win in a matchup between prime Volk and prime Conor?
Sound off!