Volkanovski labels Aldo the greatest featherweight in UFC history

Former UFC featherweight champion Alexander Volkanovski is certainly in the conversation for the greatest 145-pound fighter of all time, but he gives that distinction to Jose Aldo.

"If you're gonna ask me, I'm gonna say Aldo, because he was the champion for a very long time," Volkanovski said earlier this week on Fox Sports when asked whom he considers to be the featherweight GOAT.

"Obviously, people are gonna look at competition and all that, but to be champion that long - things go wrong. You fight injured. So many things can go wrong. And to be champion that long, it's saying something. He was very dominant as a champion, as well, so full respect to Aldo."

Aldo was the inaugural UFC featherweight champion and defended the title a divisional-record seven times between 2011-14. Aldo became the champion again in 2016 until 2017. Volkanovski defeated Aldo years later to earn a shot at the title, held by Max Holloway at the time. Volkanovski was the champion for four years and defended the title five times before getting knocked out by Ilia Topuria at UFC 298 in February.

Aldo, Volkanovski, and Holloway are widely considered the three best featherweights in promotion history. Volkanovski and Holloway remain in title contention at 145 pounds, while Aldo moved down to 135 pounds for the final chapter of his career.

Aldo retired from MMA in 2022 and was inducted into the UFC Hall of Fame last summer. But the Brazilian icon came out of retirement earlier this year and is scheduled to face Jonathan Martinez in a bantamweight bout at UFC 301 on Saturday in Rio de Janeiro.