Alexander Volkanovski Reclaims His Throne, Fighters React To 'The Great' One's Achievement

Alexander Volkanovski Reclaims His Throne, Fighters React To ‘The Great’ One’s Achievement

Alexander Volkanovski becomes a two-time champion and fighter reactions flood in after his win against Diego Lopes!

Alexander Volkanovski Reclaims His Throne, Fighters React To 'The Great' One's Achievement

Alexander Volkanovski’s journey in the UFC has been nothing short of remarkable. The Australian featherweight dominated the division for years with his technical brilliance and unmatched fight IQ. He defended his belt against the likes of Max Holloway, Brian Ortega, and Korean Zombie. His reign came to a shocking end when Ilia Topuria knocked him out at UFC 298, sending shockwaves through the MMA world. Many wondered if the 36-year-old would ever reclaim his spot at the top of the mountain.

When Topuria decided to move up to lightweight, vacating the 145-pound belt, Volkanovski saw his opportunity to reclaim what he believed was rightfully his. Standing in his way was the red-hot Diego Lopes, who had been tearing through the division.

At UFC 314 in Miami, Volkanovski showed why he’s considered one of the greatest featherweights of all time. Despite some scary moments, ‘The Great’ did enough to win a unanimous decision and become a two-time UFC champion. He also became the first fighter to become a champion in the lighter weight classes after 35. The MMA community wasted no time in sharing their thoughts on Volkanovski’s impressive comeback.

Also Read: UFC 314 Main Card Results: Who Won The UFC 314 Main Card Fights Last Night?

Fighters React To Alexander Volkanovski’s Title Win

Belal Muhammad, the welterweight champion praised Volkanovski’s resilience. The champion, who is also 36 years old had now a same age pal as the UFC champion!

“One more for the 36 year olds”

One more for the 36 year olds
— Belal Muhammad (@bullyb170) April 13, 2025

Movsar Evloev, undefeated featherweight who has been climbing the rankings, offered a competitor’s perspective. He hoped that Volkanovski would keep his promise after winning the belt.

“Congratulations on an excellent performance, you’re a true champion! Now let’s see what your word is worth! @alexvolkanovski #UFC314”

Congratulations on an excellent performance, you’re a true champion! Now let’s see what your word is worth! @alexvolkanovski #UFC314
— Movsar Evloev (@MovsarUFC) April 13, 2025

Michael Chiesa focused on the age factor of Volkanovski. He gave props to the 36 year old Volk for beating a young hungry guy.

“Volk is the captain of the 35 and older club. What a stud. #ufc314”

Volk is the captain of the 35 and older club. What a stud. #ufc314
— Michael Chiesa (@MikeMav22) April 13, 2025

Islam Makhachev, who fought Alexander Volkanovski twice send his regards to the 2 time champion.

“Congrats legend.”

🤝🏆Islam Makhachev salutes Alexander Volkanovski on his win:

"Congrats legend."

📸 @MAKHACHEVMMA ▫️ pic.twitter.com/bFbUTyTch6
— Home of Fight (@Home_of_Fight) April 13, 2025

Welterweight fighter Joaquin Buckley, known for his explosive fighting style, kept his reaction short. He also took shots at former welterweight champion Kamaru Usman.

“Congrats to Volk 👏Usman should be inspired by what he just watched and walk that walk #UFC314”

Congrats to Volk 👏Usman should be inspired by what he just watched and walk that walk #UFC314
— Joaquin New Mansa Buckley (@Newmansa94) April 13, 2025

Henry Cejudo, the former two-division champion and Olympic gold medalist, offered a round per round breakdown.

“3-2 or 4-1 Volk. Championship experience prevailed #UFC314”

3-2 or 4-1 Volk. Championship experience prevailed #UFC314
— Henry Cejudo (@HenryCejudo) April 13, 2025

Israel Adesanya, who is Alexander Volkanovski’s teammate and friend was in the crowd and his reaction at Volk’s winning was pure joy for his teammate.

A very happy Israel Adesanya celebrates Alexander Volkanovski's #UFC314 title win with Kamaru Usman. pic.twitter.com/Ze3wsvjYZX
— MMA Junkie (@MMAJunkie) April 13, 2025

With the belt back around his waist, Volkanovski has silenced doubters and reestablished himself at the top of the featherweight division. Whether his next challenge comes from a surging contender or a returning Topuria, ‘The Great’ has proven once again that counting him out is always a dangerous proposition.

(Image Credit: UFC News – X)

Alexander Volkanovksi

Diego Lopes

UFC 314

Zaid Quraishi

mma

I am a dedicated MMA and Boxing content writer at The Playoffs. I was instantly hooked on MMA after watching the fight between Lyoto Machida vs. Gegard Mousasi back in 2014, and since then, i have been an avid writer with a deep love for the sport and its techniques, providing readers with a thorough understanding of the sport. My favorite aspect of working at The Playoffs is the creative freedom it provides. The diverse range of topics, from listicles and SEO to news articles, keeps me engaged and motivates me to continuously improve my skills! I aim to capture the excitement of the combat sports world in my writing, acting as the middleman between fighters and their die-hard fans. It is kind of like a referee, but with words!