Emma Volkanovski is the wife of Alexander Volkanovski, the two-time UFC featherweight champion who defends his title against Diego Lopes at UFC 325 in Sydney on January 31, 2026.
Volkanovski reclaimed the 145-pound belt with a unanimous decision over Lopes at UFC 314 in April 2025 after losing it to Ilia Topuria. The rematch marks his first title defense since regaining the championship and his first fight in Australia since UFC 284 in February 2023. Emma, who has been with Alex since their high school days, will be in attendance as she has been for nearly every major moment of his career.
The couple married in October 2012 and have four daughters together. Alex has credited Emma as the reason he fights, telling Fox Sports she and their family are “why I do this.”
Here’s what you need to know about Alexander Volkanovski’s wife Emma Volkanovski:
1. Emma Volkanovski Met Alex Volkanovski on MSN Messenger in 2004 & They Had Their First Kiss at an Under-18s Disco
Emma and Alexander Volkanovski are high school sweethearts who met online before they were even teenagers. They started chatting on MSN Messenger in 2004, back when the Australian was just a stocky kid who loved chocolate and played rugby league.
“We met on MSN messenger back in 2004, shared a first kiss at Shelly’s under 18s disco,” Emma told the Illawarra Mercury in 2019. “Then I moved schools and just so happened to be Lake Illawarra High, the same school he attended, although he was in the year above me.”
They officially started dating on March 13, 2005.
Emma knew early on that Alex was different from other guys. “He was kind, funny, thoughtful, stuck up for others in need, did not accept any form of bullying, did what he wanted, not what everyone else was doing, had good values and morals,” she told the Mercury. They would walk to Blockbuster together to rent UFC VHS tapes years before he ever set foot in a gym.
Alexander wrote on Instagram in 2020, “Happy Anniversary to this stunner!! 8 years of marriage, 15 years together…high school sweethearts. Here’s to many more years together. 😍”
2. Emma Volkanovski ‘Stuck By & Supported’ Alex Volkanovski as He Made His Way to the UFC
She grew up in Sydney with her parents, John and Rose Harris, who are farmers. Emma has two younger sisters, Carmella and Jessica Harris, according to EssentiallySports. She attended Cheltenham Girls High School before going on to university.
Emma is also a fitness enthusiast who keeps up with her husband’s intense training schedule. At 5 feet 9 inches tall, she stands three inches taller than Alex, something they both joke about. He once wrote on Instagram, “Behind every great man… is a tall woman.”
Alex Volkanovski wrote on Facebook in 2020, “This woman stuck by and supported me while I chased my dream. There were times when it wasn’t easy, times when we were told to just “give up and get a regular job”..but let me tell you something, it was all worth it.”
3. She Gave Alex a Crucifix for His 18th Birthday That He Wears Before Every Fight
GettyAlexander Volkanovski and Emma Volkanovski attend Everest Race Day at Royal Randwick Racecourse on October 16, 2021 in Sydney, Australia.
One of the lesser-known stories about the Volkanovskis involves a crucifix that has become part of Alex’s pre-fight ritual. Emma gave him a cross necklace for his 18th birthday, and he has worn it to every fight since.
Just before stepping into the Octagon, Alex removes the crucifix and hands it to his longtime trainer Joe Lopez, according to the Illawarra Mercury. He does it before every single bout. Emma has her own ritual — sparkly white fingernails are a must on fight night.
“Alex won’t admit that it helps him win,” Emma joked. “But we definitely have our rituals.” Alex also gets a fresh haircut during every fight week, though he won’t admit that gives him an edge either.
4. The Couple Has 4 Daughters & Alex Says He’s ‘Done’ Trying for a Boy
Emma and Alex have four daughters: Ariana (born 2015), Airlie (born 2017), Reign (born August 2023), and a fourth daughter, Riah, born in late 2025. They announced the fourth pregnancy with a gender reveal during the UFC 314 fight week buildup in March 2025.
Alex FaceTimed Emma and their three daughters while in Las Vegas. When the balloon popped and pink confetti flew out, Alex burst out laughing. “I am destined to be a girl-dad, and I am fine with that,” he told ESPN Australia in April 2025.
When asked if he would try for a boy, Alex shut it down. “I’m done,” he told TMZ Sports. “Look, man, I thought I was done before the last one, right? This one caught me by surprise. But, yeah, four girls.” Their third daughter, Reign, was named as a nod to Alex’s long reign as featherweight champion.
5. She Supported His Decision to Take a Short-Notice Title Fight After His First UFC Loss
GettyAlexander Volkanovski of Australia kisses his wife Emma after defeating Diego Lopes of Brazil to win the featherweight title during UFC 314 at Kaseya Center on April 12, 2025 in Miami, Florida.
When Alex Volkanovski lost to Islam Makhachev at UFC 284 in February 2023 — his first UFC defeat — he got an unexpected chance at redemption. Charles Oliveira withdrew from the UFC 294 title fight against Makhachev with an injury, and Alex was offered the bout on just 12 days’ notice.
Most families might hesitate. Emma didn’t. “I chatted with the family and Emma, I mean, we both just had smiles on our faces,” Alex said in a video posted by the UFC. “I think she knew I was chewing at the bit to get back out there. She seen that. I think she felt that. And she goes, ‘I think this is meant to be.'”
Alex took the fight and lost by first-round knockout, but Emma’s support never wavered. Alex has a “FAMILY” tattoo he got before he even had children. “I just wanted something with personal significance,” he told The Fatherhood. “And I am a family man — that’s what I pride myself on.”
Emma Volkanovski, Alexander Volkanovski’s Wife: 5 Fast Facts You Need to Know