Alexander Volkanovski snubs Conor McGregor and Max Holloway to name Jose Aldo as featherweight GOAT
Alexander Volkanovski recently singled out Jose Aldo as the greatest of all time (GOAT) in the UFC featherweight division, placing him above the likes of Conor McGregor and Max Holloway.
Holloway is currently neck and neck with Darren Elkins, both boasting 26 bouts in the 145 division. However, Holloway stands out from the pack with a remarkable 20 wins in the division, surpassing all others.
The MMA community frequently debates the featherweight division's GOAT, with compelling arguments for Aldo's supremacy. Yet, others contend that Volkanovski and Holloway take precedence, given their multiple successful title defenses. Interestingly, some fans even lean towards 'The Notorious' as their divisional GOAT, acknowledging his undeniable impact on the sport.
During a recent interview on FOX Sports' Main Event, 'The Great' underscored Aldo's title reign over the division, affirming him as the undisputed 145-pound GOAT:
"I can appreciate what Aldo’s done, you know what I mean? That’s for other people to decide. But you know, for me, if you ask me, I’m going to say Aldo because he was a champion for a very long time."
He added:
"Obviously, people are going to look at the competition and all that, but to be champion that long, things go wrong; you fight injured, there are so many things that can go wrong. And to be champion that long, it’s saying something. He was very dominant as a champion, full respect to Aldo."
Check out Alexander Volkanovski's comments below:
Throughout his illustrious 20-year career, Aldo dominated as the undisputed 145-pound champion for over six and a half years, boasting an extraordinary nine successful title defenses. As a former champion in both the UFC and WEC, he has solidified his status as a legend in mixed martial arts.
Volkanovski and Aldo clashed at UFC 237 in May 2019, where the Australian emerged victorious with a commanding unanimous decision.
Alexander Volkanovski backs Jose Aldo to beat Jonathan Martinez at UFC 301
Jonathan Martinez is gearing up to face Jose Aldo as he returns to the promotion in a bantamweight matchup, set as the co-main event of UFC 301.
The UFC Hall of Famer officially retired from his MMA career after a loss to Merab Dvalishvili at UFC 278 in August 2022. Since then, he has transitioned to the world of boxing. However, despite his absence from the octagon, Alexander Volkanovski remains confident that Aldo has what it takes to emerge victorious against Martinez.
During a recent video on his YouTube channel, 'The Great' said:
"I still believe in his skill. I think he’s just as fast twitch as he always was [and] I don’t think he’s lost that too much. He’s always been so technical, and I think that might play a factor in this."
He added:
"I’m just going to go with Aldo on this one, just because I still believe in him, I still think he can do it again. I’ve got a lot of respect for him having been in front of the man, and he ain’t an easy guy to beat … I’ll go decision win for Aldo."
Check out Alexander Volkanovski's comments below (2:45):