Fame can change a lot of people – and fortune certainly does.
But for Alexander Volkanovski, who first debuted in the UFC while still working as a concreter, it’s been business as usual in the seven or so years since.
“It’s obviously definitely changed a lot, but I’m still the same me, right?” he told Wide World of Sports
“I might have a shiny belt and maybe a bit more money, but I’m still me – I’m still a pretty chill dude, and that’s something that I pride myself on.”
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It’s a very common trope in combat sports for athletes to change their entire attitude, either to appeal to fans or to go in completely the opposite direction and embrace their villain persona.
But Volkanovski hasn’t done any of that – all he’s done is win, clearing out the featherweight division in clinical fashion.
“I didn’t have to change who I was to get to the belt and to be where I’m at,” he said.
“I didn’t have to be fake, to be someone I’m not, to get attention – or anything like that.”
UFC champion Volkanovski sits down with WWOS
And clearly, his genuine nature is resonating – the world featherweight champion recently had a pub in his home city of Wollongong re-named The Volkanovski in his honour, and people are finally beginning to talk about him as not just one of the country’s best fighters, but the best athletes.
“When you talk about leaving a legacy behind, all of this adds to that,” he said.
“You do want to be in the history books, you do want people talking about – and there’s not many athletes that are doing what I’m doing.”
The 33-year-old remains undefeated in the UFC in 12 appearances, and has won 22 professional fights in a row.
No matter your feelings on combat sport, his rise to the very top of Australian sport can’t be ignored.
“It’s not really for me to sit there and talk about myself like that, but it is good to get that recognition that I do think I deserve,” he said.
“No one’s really doing that, and dominating their sport like I am right now.”
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