Alexander Volkanovski battled back from an early knockdown to defeat Diego Lopes at UFC 314.

Volkanovski subsequently reclaimed the featherweight title after a five-round war with the Brazilian that judges scored 48-47, 49-46 and 49-46 to hand the Australian the unanimous decision win.

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Volkanovski is the 145lb champion once again[/caption]

The 36-year-old is now the first man over 35 in the lighter UFC weight classes to win a world title, and just one win away from tying MMA legend Jose Aldo for the most title fight wins in UFC featherweight history.

This is the second time ‘The Great’ has held the UFC featherweight title after a remarkable four-year reign from 2019 to 2023.

He first won the 145lb strap by defeating Max Holloway at UFC 245 in December 2019 and defended it in a rematch with ‘Blessed’ seven months later.

In what was a dominating spell at featherweight, Volkanovski then defeated Brian Ortega, ‘The Korean Zombie’ and Holloway again at the end of 2021 heading into the following year.

The Australian then decided there were no more challenges left for him in his own division, and narrowly lost a unanimous decision to lightweight king Islam Makhachev in his first attempt to become a two-division champion at UFC 284 in February 2023.

In preparation for a second meeting with Makhachev, Volkanovski weighed in at featherweight again and finished Yair Rodriguez, who defeated Patricio ‘Pitbull’ Freire at UFC 314, in their fight three months later.

However, he then suffered consecutive defeats in the Octagon, as Makhachev brutally knocked him out in their rematch, before Ilia Topuria followed suit at UFC 298 last February.

Now, Volkanovski has shot right back up as one of the best pound-for-pound fighters in the world, as well as being the No.1 featherweight on the planet.

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