Before he ruled the Octagon, Alexander Volkanovski dominated the rugby pitch. While playing as a front rower for the Warilla Gorillas, the current UFC Featherweight champ’s 5’6” frame carried a heavyweight’s mass. His strength, speed, and smarts brought his team a Premiership Grand Final victory in 2011, the first of many titles for “The Great.”

To say “Bullet” has a background in combat sports would be a staggering understatement. From starting taekwondo at five years old, having her first MMA bout in 2003, to becoming one of the world’s best Muay Thai fighters, she’s nearly done it all — and that was before she became a UFC champ. In 2014, a devastating kickboxing K.O. victory would presage her Octagon debut.

Jon Jones didn’t end up atop the light heavyweight and then heavyweight divisions by accident. His first gym, Team BombSquad, lit the fuse; from there, his explosive rush up the ranks was on. Filling in as a short-notice replacement at UFC 87 was when the world first got a glimpse of Jones in the Octagon. He’s been an indomitable presence ever since.

In August 2023, Sean O’Malley realized championship gold in calculated, devastating fashion. Six years earlier, “Suga” was lean, mean, and still pretty green when he put on a show for Dana White’s Contender Series. Reckless, flashy striking and a determination to make a statement would put him on the map and in the UFC.

Alex Pereira is familiar with the weight of a championship belt. Before he claimed the UFC Middleweight throne with frightening speed, he was the long-reigning Glory Kickboxing Middleweight Champion. In 2017, “Poatan” won the title he’d go on to defend five times before making his way to the Octagon.

2007 PRIDE 33 - SECOND COMING

Dutch Sensation " The Demolition Man" Alistair Overeem has fought the biggest names in MMA and kickboxing and claimed major titles in both. Before that career-defining success, he'd run into an old foe at PRIDE 33. 

12-fight unbeaten streak. A hard-fought ascension to the Welterweight title. Leon Edwards has earned everything he’s gained and then some. Despite his eye-popping record, it wasn’t always smooth sailing for “Rocky.” After stumbling in his UFC debut, Edwards needed a rebound in a big way — which he did in eight seconds at UFC Fight Night 64 in 2015.

Living up to the hype is no easy task. Before Conor McGregor even stepped into the Octagon for his UFC debut in 2013, the world’s eyes were already on him. It would take just over a minute for “Notorious” to score the knockout and light the world on fire. A sign of things to come.