MMA
Alexander Volkanovski Names Prime Featherweight Conor McGregor as His Dream Matchup
The UFC’s featherweight division has seen only five undisputed champions: Jose Aldo, Max Holloway, Conor McGregor, Alexander Volkanovski, and Ilia Topuria. Among them, only Aldo and Volkanovski have managed to reclaim the title, with the Aussie doing so most recently at UFC 314 against Diego Lopes. With the belt historically worn by all-time greats, fans have often speculated about fantasy matchups between these legends.
One of the most talked-about hypothetical clashes over the past five years has been Volkanovski vs. McGregor. However, with the former double champ effectively retired and unlikely to ever return to 145 lbs, and Volkanovski nearing the twilight of his career, that dream fight seems increasingly improbable. Still, despite some past friction, the reigning featherweight king recently took a moment to praise the Irish superstar, showing respect for what McGregor accomplished during his dominant run.
Alexander Volkanovski Praises Conor McGregor’s Elite Striking and Star Power
During a recent appearance on The Unscripted Show, host Josh Mansour asked Alexander Volkanovski which fighter, irrespective of the division in the UFC’s modern era, he would most like to face. The Aussie didn’t hesitate before naming Conor McGregor. Volkanovski reflected on McGregor’s dominance at featherweight and the massive opportunities that came with fighting the Irish superstar, both in terms of fame and financial gain.
He also highlighted how McGregor’s drawing power elevated fighters like Nate Diaz during their iconic rivalry and even influenced Dustin Poirier, who opted for a lucrative trilogy bout with the Irishman at UFC 264 over a potential lightweight title shot.
He said, “Ahh, probably Conor. Man, I mean you are gonna sit there and be like you and Conor, boring answer but when he was in the featherweight division, that era where he was just an absolute superstar, like you know the position you could put yourself in just fighting that guy.”
He continued, “When you talk about building your platform, when we talk about money and all that, not only UFC, but as you get up, you get better money, the platform you are on, you need to take advantage of that. And that’s one fast track to get in, you know, making some people notice you.”
When asked what made McGregor such a great fighter, Volkanovski praised the former double champion’s elite striking skills, particularly his accuracy and timing.
“I mean, he was a good fighter. He was a great fighter. He was another fighter whose accuracy….He was actually even a bit ahead of his time. He was really good. I don’t think people give him credit…He had great timing, great setup, good understanding of what works and what works for him.”
Alexander Volkanovski praises Conor McGregor and says he’d like to face him inside the Octagon 🍀🔥
“He was a great fighter. He was actually even a bit ahead of his time. He was really good. I don’t think people give him credit. He was sharp and all of that’s gone now. He’s… pic.twitter.com/7PXcnyAKzQ
— Red Corner MMA (@RedCorner_MMA) September 3, 2025
Volk concluded by acknowledging that his prime is now long time and that the Irishman would never reach those heights ever again. “And he was sharp, and all of that’s gone now. He’s gonna be reasonably sharp, but he’s never gonna be that same Conor McGregor. But he was a good fighter. You had to fight the right fight against him.”
This isn’t the first time Volkanovski has voiced his desire to face McGregor. Back in May 2023, while riding high with four straight defenses of his 145-pound belt, Volkanovski revealed that a dream fight with McGregor was the one big accomplishment he still hoped to achieve in the featherweight division.
“It’s pretty easy for me in saying Conor McGregor because he was in featherweight,” Volkanovski said on The MMA Fan Podcast. “He [Conor] was a featherweight. We’ve got to remember the champions I’ve beat. I’ve beat every other champion in the featherweight division.”
He added, “The only champ I haven’t fought in the featherweight division is Conor McGregor. Conor McGregor in his prime in featherweight division would obviously be the all-time – I’m sure everyone would want to see that right now. If we could make that happen right now, somehow get prime Conor vs. prime Volk, it would be pretty special.”
McGregor, who went 7-0 as a featherweight, officially left the division behind in 2016. At his peak, the Irishman was arguably the most influential star in MMA. More importantly, he consistently backed up the hype inside the Octagon. His iconic 13-second knockout of José Aldo at UFC 194 ended the Brazilian’s decade-long unbeaten streak and cemented McGregor as a superstar.
Nov 12, 2016 – New York, New York, U.S. – Eddie Alvarez and Conor The Notorious McGregor during weigh-in at UFC 205 in Madison Square Garden. MMA 2016 – UFC 205 – Weigh-In – ZUMAs277 20161111_shn_s277_409
Even before that, he had already defeated a young Max Holloway early in his UFC run on his path to the title. McGregor didn’t stop there. He took on two high-profile bouts against Nate Diaz at 170 pounds, bouncing back to win their rematch in one of the most memorable fights in UFC history.
His crowning achievement came soon after at UFC 205, where he delivered a masterclass against Eddie Alvarez to claim the lightweight belt and become the first simultaneous two-division UFC champion. Who do you think would have won a dream fight between the duo in their prime? Let us know your thoughts!
