Who Is the UFC’s Featherweight GOAT? Volkanovski Has an Idea

Getty Jose Aldo punches Alexander Volkanovski during the UFC 237 event in Rio de Janeiro.

Jose Aldo returns to the UFC Octagon on Saturday, May 4 — a homecoming of sorts for UFC 301 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

Ahead of the big event, Alexander Volkanovski, a former opponent of Aldo’s, said the Brazilian fighter is the greatest featherweight that the UFC has ever seen.

It raises the question as to whom the GOAT at 145 pounds really is, seeing as the division has been witness to incredible performances from extraordinary competitors.

Even Volkanovski has built a stacked resume in a weight class that Conor McGregor swashbuckled his way through, together with Max Holloway — the self-proclaimed greatest boxer in the UFC.

Aldo Is the GOAT, Volkanovski Says

Considered one of the best UFC fighters ever, Aldo is regarded as a featherweight GOAT due to his accolades at WEC and the UFC, his 18-fight winning streak, and victories over Urijah Faber, Chad Mendes, Frankie Edgar, Renato Moicano, Marlon Vera and Rob Font that span 12 years.

“I’m going to say Aldo because he was the champion for a very long time,” Volkanovski said during an appearance on YouTube channel MainEvent.

“Obviously, people are going to look at the competition and all that, but to be champion for that long, things go wrong.”

He added: “You fight injured, there’s so many things that can go wrong, and to be champion that long, it’s saying something. He was very dominant as a champion as well, so full respect to Aldo.”

Volkanovski, of course, has experience fighting Aldo. The stocky Aussie bruiser beat the veteran at UFC 237 by decision. The result was considered an upset at the time, possibly signaling a new era.

Volkanovski told MainEvent “it was crazy” and that he “obviously had a game plan — we knew what he was good at — because he is so good. He’s technically sound — he does everything right. So, because I know how well-trained he is, I had to try and use that against him — which sounds so weird, using someone’s good technique against them.

“Everything is just, you make one movement, he knows exactly where he needs to be, so I had to use that against him.”

Who Really is The GOAT?

If Aldo isn’t the GOAT, Volkanovski has his own claim to the label given that he has wins over Aldo, Holloway (three times), Chad Mendes and Brian Ortega. He was the UFC’s featherweight champion for four years, challenged for the lightweight title, and has been a pound-for-pound staple.

There’s also Holloway, who has 33 fights to his name and wins over Justin Gaethje, Calvin Kattar, Frankie Edgar, Brian Ortega, Jose Aldo (twice) and Charles Oliveira. A former UFC featherweight champion, Holloway is now a BMF champion and linked with a fight against Ilia Topuria.

Aldo Returns to The Octagon

Aldo has a chance to add to his legacy Saturday when he competes against Jonathan Martinez in the co-main event of UFC 301 in Rio de Janeiro on ESPN pay-per-view. It is his last bout before he leaves the UFC.

“This is the last fight on my contract,” Aldo told CBS Sports.

“When I started talking to Sean [Shelby] and Dana [White] in January, we talked about signing a new deal. But I decided against it because I want to go in there and I need to show them, myself and everyone where I’m at, what I can still do and how I can still perform.”

Elsewhere on the bill, Alexandre Pantoja fights Steve Erceg, Anthony Smith takes on Vitor Petrino, and Michel Pereira fights Ihor Potieria.