Multiple world featherweight champion, Illawarra mixed martial artist Alexander Volkanovski. Photo: Wollongong City Council.
Homegrown GOAT, multiple world mixed martial arts champion and all-round nice bloke Alex Volkanovski will be awarded the Keys to the City.
Lock in the evening of Thursday (22 May) at the Crown Street Mall stage.
In November 2024, Wollongong City Council resolved to award the city’s highest honour to the 36-year-old in recognition of his sporting achievements and efforts to promote Wollongong on the international stage.
Alex said the honour cemented the support he’d experienced from his hometown throughout his entire career.
“I’ve always felt that support and I’ve always been proud of where I’m from,” he said.
“But I know mixed martial arts is quite a confronting sport and it took some people a while to get used to, to appreciate us as athletes and human beings.
“It’s a simple thing but now I feel like I’m being supported by everyone.
“It’s really exciting; I’m really proud and honoured.”
Alex has trained and fought his entire professional career out of the Freestyle MMA Gym in Windang.
He first claimed the UFC featherweight world title in December 2019 and defended the crown a further five times. In July 2022 he was ranked the No. 1 pound-for-pound fighter in the world.
On 12 April this year, he reclaimed the featherweight title with a unanimous decision victory over Diego Lopes in his 10th consecutive UFC championship contest.
He is the reigning and two-time featherweight champion and widely regarded as the greatest 145-pound fighter to ever step into the cage.
Despite his impressive list of achievements in the octagon, Alex said his greatest achievement was the example he had set for his children.
“I’ve been able to be myself through the whole process, and that means so much to me,” he said.
“I try to set a good example for my kids, be a good person and show them anything is possible.
“Every time they announce Windang or Wollongong when I’m about to fight, I love that, I love being able to do this from the first gym I set foot in.
“I’m glad I could show the younger generation you can be the best in the world from right here, in whatever they choose to do.
“You don’t need to hold back; you can go for it and come back from adversity and succeed.”
Lord Mayor of Wollongong Tania Brown said Alex’s pride in his hometown, alongside his athletic achievements, made him an unparalleled ambassador for the region.
“The fact he has enjoyed all his success from the first gym he walked into at Windang many years ago is a testament to the loyalty he has to the people around him, and to the city we all call home,” she said.
“It’s inspiring for our young people to see that Wollongong can be a springboard to global success, and that one of our most outstanding sportspeople can be such an active and positive member of our community.
“He’s a very deserving recipient of this honour and we’re excited to be handing it over in the middle of Crown Street Mall so the public and his many fans can be a part of it.”
A proud Illawarra local, Alex has always taken the opportunity to promote the region and to support local charities and initiatives.
From increasing autism awareness to assisting KidsWish and the Disability Trust and donating signed merchandise to many local organisations, Alex has backed the community that backed him.
He’s also lent his voice to local health campaigns such as Vax the Illawarra, worked to promote men’s health initiatives through Healthier Illawarra Men, supported national campaigns against domestic violence, and spoke out as a national COVID vaccine ambassador to improve vaccination rates during the pandemic.
These efforts saw him awarded a NSW Premier’s Award for Community Service in 2024.
He continues to provide ongoing mentorship to aspiring martial artists at his Windang gym and is a passionate supporter of our national sporting teams the Illawarra Hawks, the St George Illawarra Dragons and the Wollongong Wolves.
Alex said he appreciated the opportunities to give back and to promote the sport he loved.
“I’m lucky to be surrounded by caring people who come to me with ideas or people they know might need a hand,” he said.
“The community has always been incredible to me and I want to help however I can, whenever I can.
“I’m really proud that I’ve been able to represent the sport and my character in a way that people want me to represent their cause and their community.
“Martial arts is based on discipline, respect, hard work and morals.
“I love seeing more people get involved in martial arts now and getting their kids into it because they can see those values and that discipline in action.”
The Alex Volkanovski Keys to the City ceremony, including a Q&A with the champion, will be held at the Crown Street Mall stage from 6 pm on Thursday 22 May and is open to the public.
