Jose Aldo at UFC 237 – May 11, 2019
Volkanovski knew he was ready for a shot at the title, but the UFC matchmakers wanted to see him in one more contender fight before pitching him into a title fight.
That test came against the most dominant featherweight champion in UFC history. Jose Aldo was looking to force his way back into contention after back-to-back losses to reigning champ Max Holloway, while Volkanovski knew victory over the Brazilian would punch his ticket to a title shot. He didn’t waste his chance.
Volkanovski headed to Rio and defeated Aldo in the Brazilian’s own back yard in a statement-making performance as he won all three rounds on all three scorecards to eliminate all doubt about his title credentials at UFC 237.
Volkanovski used one of Aldo’s most famous weapons, the leg kick, against him as he hammered the Brazilian with inside leg kicks throughout the first round, and used his prodigious strength to stifle any attempts by Aldo to step inside and rip shots to his body.
The leg-kick heavy attack continued through the second round as Volkanovski built up a healthy lead on the scorecards heading into the final round, where his excellent cardio meant he was able to maintain the upper hand, even when the Brazilian started to chase the finish late on.
It gave Volkanovski another defining victory as he sent Aldo to the first decision loss of his career and pushed himself to the front of the queue to face Holloway for the title.
Watch Alexander Volkanovski vs. Jose Aldo on UFC Fight Pass
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Next up: Claiming the strap