Was Alexander Volkanovski 240 lbs During Rugby? | Explained
Alexander Volkanovski has had massive success in his Mixed Martial Arts career in the 145 lbs division.
But did you know at one point he could have fought in the heavyweight division? In this page, we will explain.
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How Heavy Was Volkanovski Playing Rugby?
Alexander Volkanovski played for the Warilla-Lake South Gorillas in Australia at 214 lbs. Due to his accent, many fans mishear what he said and believe that he played at 240 lbs instead. His position would put him against giant opposition, 'Monsters' as Volk would call them, forcing him to be at a heavier weight.
Image Source: JRE
Surprisingly, Volk played the 'Front-Rower' position which is typically reserved for the largest people on the team.
They had one giant person playing this position on the team, and his partner was Volkanovski.
Volk's endurance and toughness allowed him to excel in this position despite being massively undersized.
When the larger opponents would begin getting tired, Volk would pick up the pace, similarly to what he does during his UFC fights.
Volkanovski's UFC Weight
Amazingly Volk would have the most success at the 145 lbs Featherweight division in the UFC, racking up a 24-1 record.
This is 69 lbs less than his Rugby playing weight.
His only loss was in his fourth professional fight, at... 185 lbs. Ever since he began fighting at his normal weight, he has been seemingly unstoppable.
Years later, fans would find out how heavy Volkanovski used to be, and poke fun of him (seeing how shredded he is now).
Volk would simply play along and even respond with his own tweet poking fun at himself.
— Alex Volkanovski (@alexvolkanovski) February 10, 2021