UFC featherweight champion Alexander Volkanovski recently recounted the story behind one of his first viral social media campaigns – #SignVolkanovski.
Back before he was in the UFC, Volkanovski defended fellow combatant Jake Matthews from a Twitter troll. After some back-and-forth arguing, Volkanovski and the troll ended up having a reasonable discussion and the troll apologized.
Volkanovski said, “We ended up chatting and got along after a little argument.”
Impressed by Volkanovski, the former troll decided to start campaigning for the UFC to sign him. He began using the #SignVolkanovski to drum up support.
According to Volkanovski, “He ended up being the one that actually started the #SignVolkanovski. So ever since then, we realized our man is kind of cool.”
The #SignVolkanovski campaign gained momentum on Twitter and highlighted Volkanovski as an up-and-coming talent. It ultimately helped lead to the UFC signing him in late 2016.
Volkanovski reflected: “This troll, you could say, ended up really campaigning for me to be in the UFC after we ended up getting along after a little argument.”
The Australian has gone on to become one of the UFC’s biggest stars, winning the featherweight title in 2019.
Volkanovski’s story shows how social media can bring people together in unexpected ways. It also highlights his personable nature and ability to turn haters into supporters.
Volkanovski is currently preparing for his upcoming match against rising featherweight Ilia Topuria. The two are scheduled to compete at UFC 298 on February 17th.
Many UFC enthusiasts widely regard Volkanovski as the greatest UFC featherweight champion ever, owing to his remarkable track record. Despite being shorter than many of his divisional counterparts, the Australian has consistently dominated them with his exceptional all-around combat skills.
On the other hand, Ilia Topuria is a rising contender who entered the UFC in 2020. His impressive in-octagon performances have quickly earned him a title shot after just six match in the promotion.
As fans wait in anticipation, only time will tell who reigns supreme as the featherweight champion.