Alexander Volkanovski

Alexander Volkanovski is an Australian mixed martial artist with an estimated net worth of around $4 million. Known as “The Great,” he is the UFC Featherweight Champion and is widely considered one of the greatest fighters in the division’s history.

Early Life & Family

Alexander Volkanovski was born on September 29, 1988, in Wollongong, New South Wales, Australia. His father is of Macedonian heritage and his mother is Greek, and his nickname “The Great” is a nod to Alexander the Great, who shares that Macedonian-Greek heritage. He began Greco-Roman wrestling as a child and won a national title at age 12, before switching his focus to rugby league at 14. He attended Lake Illawarra High School and worked as a concreter after graduating.

Rise to Fame

Volkanovski played semi-professional rugby league as a front rower for the Warilla Gorillas, winning the Mick Cronin Medal as the league’s best player in 2010 and a premiership with the club in 2011. At age 23, he left rugby league to pursue mixed martial arts full time. He rose through the ranks of Australian MMA before signing with the UFC, and his breakthrough came in December 2019 when he defeated Max Holloway at UFC 245 to win the UFC Featherweight Championship, becoming the first Australian-born fighter to win a UFC title.

Career History

After winning the title, Volkanovski defended it multiple times, including rematches against Holloway and a win over Jose Aldo, before losing the belt to Ilia Topuria at UFC 298 in 2024. He rebuilt his campaign and won the vacant featherweight title with a win over Diego Lopes at UFC 314 in April 2025, then successfully defended it in a rematch against Lopes at UFC 325 in February 2026. His run of title-fight wins ties him with Jose Aldo for the most in UFC featherweight history, and he is regarded by many as the greatest featherweight of all time.

How They Built Their Wealth

Volkanovski’s income comes primarily from UFC fight purses and pay-per-view bonuses tied to his title fights, supplemented by sponsorship and endorsement deals. He has also built additional income streams through business ventures, including his own delicatessen, Volk’s Deli, an interest in a Muay Thai gym, and a YouTube cooking show called Cooking with Volk.

Personal Life

Volkanovski has been married to his wife, Emma, since 2012. The couple have four daughters together.

With an estimated net worth of around $4 million, Alexander Volkanovski remains one of Australia’s most successful combat sports athletes and a dominant champion in the UFC featherweight division.