Ex-concreter Volkanovski looking to cement UFC career

Alexander Volkanovski has described how grit and determination fuelled his remarkable journey from working as a concreter in Wollongong to dominating the UFC.

Volkanovski will look to achieve greatness on Sunday when he challenges feared Russian grappler Islam Makhachev for his lightweight title in Perth.

Already the UFC's featherweight champion, Volkanovski (25 professional wins, one loss) is looking to become the first Australian to hold two titles simultaneously.

Only four other Octagon fighters have achieved the feat.

Volkanovski's path to becoming the UFC's No.1 ranked pound-for-pound fighter was far from conventional.

He started training in mixed martial arts in his early 20s as a way to keep fit while playing semi-professional rugby league and working as a concreter at his father's business.

As a front rower for the Warilla Gorillas, the 168cm Volkanovski tipped the scales at 97kg.

He would eventually drop more than 30kg to fight as a featherweight.

Volkanovski dominated the amateur ranks and quickly turned professional but a UFC contract proved elusive.

In a 2017 article for Athletes Voice, Volkanovski recalled how he almost abandoned his dream after his wife Emma gave birth to their first daughter.

"Some people couldn't see a future for me and would ask Emma when I was going to give it up," he wrote.

"We were still living at my mum's when this was all happening. It was hard on all of us, living in that small house with a baby.

"We thought we'd have to move out but we didn't have the money."

Volkanovski's dominant record soon proved impossible for the UFC to ignore and the 34-year-old has gone 12-0 since entering the Octagon.

"It's an incredible journey," he said this week.

"I don't think I was ever athletically gifted - I've probably always been strong but that's it. But look where I am right now with the right mindset, mentality and work ethic.

"That's why you see the confidence in myself ... I know I've got the heart to get myself out of any position."

Makhachev (23-1) heads into the bout as favourite with a fearsome reputation underscored by 11 of his victories coming via submission.

He was mentored in his native Dagestan by Khabib Nurmagomedov, an all-time great who notoriously wrestled a bear as a child.

Volkanovski has refused to be intimidated by his taller opponent, declaring he has the power to withstand any takedown attempts.

But the softly spoken Makhachev warned he had a habit of disrupting his rivals' best-laid plans.

"All the fighters say 'I'm going to defend this wrestling and if you take me down, I'm going to go up'," he said.

"But when the fight is happening and I take down my opponent, they all feel my power and they all tap."