Alexander Volkanovski, the former UFC featherweight champion from Australia, was mentioned in the fallout of Conor McGregor's disastrous return at UFC 329 on 12 Jul 2026.
The source article, covering McGregor's first-round leg injury stoppage against Max Holloway, notes that Holloway's Hall of Fame career included being unseated by Volkanovski. That detail ties the Australian directly to the night's biggest story.
How does Alexander Volkanovski fit into the UFC 329 narrative?
The article states that Holloway 'was unseated by Alexander Volkanovski' during his featherweight title reign. Volkanovski defeated Holloway via unanimous decision at UFC 245 in Dec 2019 and again at UFC 251 in Jul 2020.
Those wins established Volkanovski as the division's top dog before he lost the belt to Ilia Topuria at UFC 298 in Feb 2024. Holloway, meanwhile, moved up to lightweight after failing to reclaim the featherweight strap from Volkanovski.
What happened at UFC 329?
Conor McGregor returned after a five-year layoff to face Max Holloway in a welterweight bout. The fight ended just over a minute into the first round when McGregor suffered a brutal leg injury.
McGregor threw a jumping kick to start the fight but quickly ended up on the mat. After a brief ground exchange, the referee stepped in to stop the contest. McGregor left the cage immediately without speaking to Joe Rogan.
Why does this matter for Alexander Volkanovski?
The mention reinforces Volkanovski's legacy as the man who beat Holloway twice at featherweight. Holloway's win over McGregor at UFC 329 boosts his own stock, but the article reminds readers that Volkanovski was the one who ended Holloway's featherweight dominance.
For Volkanovski, currently plotting his own return to title contention, being named in the same breath as a UFC 329 main event keeps his name relevant in division conversations. The Australian has not fought since his title loss to Topuria.
What comes next for Volkanovski?
Volkanovski has been linked to a potential fight with the winner of an upcoming featherweight contender bout. No official announcement has been made, but the UFC 329 mention keeps him in the news cycle.
Holloway's win over McGregor could also set up a future fight between Holloway and Volkanovski if both men end up in the same weight class again. That trilogy would be massive for the sport.
Drew, the MMA writer for MMA Knockout, reported the story from UFC 329. The event took place on 12 Jul 2026 at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.