After over a year away from the Octagon and back-to-back knockouts, many believed Alex Volkanovski’s UFC career was nearing its end. 

At 36, and with a fourth child on the way, some questioned whether he still had the fire. 

But instead of slipping into obscurity, the former featherweight champion has found an unexpected second wind – through cooking.

Volkanovski’s ‘Cookin’ with Volk’ series has taken social media by storm, drawing more than 2 million followers across Instagram, YouTube and TikTok. 

The videos aren’t just viral; they’re cultural staples. A spicy Doritos chicken burger clip racked up seven million views, while his collaborations with Kiwi chef Andy Cooks drew a combined eight million more.

‘More people come up to me and talk about the cooking than fighting now,’ he said.

‘All my reels on Instagram, all my TikToks, all the cooking stuff gets quadruple the views. No one cares about the fighting stuff! It’s all the cooking stuff that people go nuts for.’

The timing of this online surge was no accident. Following his February 2024 knockout loss to Ilia Topuria, Volkanovski knew he needed a break – not just from fighting, but from the weight of being a champion. 

‘If you want to be the best athlete in the world, a chunk of you is gonna go with it,’ he said.

Instead of rushing back, he spent 14 months healing, reflecting, and finding himself. 

He skipped training when he wanted to. He went to his daughters’ soccer games. He cooked. He lived. 

‘It was great for me to evolve as a human being; as Alex,’ he said. ‘I’ve always lived my life around a training schedule for the last 15 years.’

That space gave him perspective. ‘There were times where I’d find it hard to hold conversations with friends and family,’ he admitted. 

‘I didn’t know how to have proper conversations. You don’t let any emotions in when you’re in camp.’

But with time came clarity. ‘Now I’ve got a bit more of an understanding of who I am. I’m still destined to be that champion, but being that champion being me.’

The cooking show not only reconnected Volkanovski with the public, it reshaped his brand. 

‘People that weren’t too sure about sponsoring a fighter want to sponsor me now because all of a sudden I have a brand outside of fighting,’ he said.

The transformation caught the attention of everyone – even New South Wales Premier Chris Minns gave Volkanovski a shout out ahead of his UFC 314 clash with Brazil’s Diego Lopes.

That bout, scheduled for Sunday afternoon (AEST) in Miami, is a pivotal one. With the featherweight title vacated, both men have their sights set on gold. 

Lopes, on a five-fight win streak, has a 12cm height advantage and a dangerous arsenal of jiu jitsu and knockout power.

But Volkanovski isn’t rattled. ‘(Lopes) is a very dangerous fighter, great jiu jitsu, power in the hands… but I just believe I’m the best and I’m going to prove that Saturday night.’

Despite criticism from long-time rival Colby Covington, who accused him of ‘fighting for money now,’ Volkanovski insists he’s more focused and disciplined than ever. 

He’s given up alcohol and hasn’t had a cheat meal in 16 weeks. 

‘I don’t think he’s fighting for the right things anymore,’ Covington said. But Volkanovski disagrees.

He admits he contemplated retirement after the Topuria fight but decided he had more to give. 

‘It doesn’t end here, and those losses play a big part in me regaining the title,’ he said. 

‘Now, I’m really good at balancing the two, and I wouldn’t have that if I didn’t have that time off.’

Lopes acknowledged Volkanovski’s legacy at the pre-fight presser, calling him a ‘legend in the sport’ before adding, ‘But now is my time for taking the belt.’

Volkanovski, smiling through the noise, had one last message for fans. 

‘I’ve been feeling the love so much the past year. I appreciate every single one of you, and I’m bringing that f****** belt back to Australia. It’s coming with me, baby, let’s go!’

The main event kicks off at 12pm AEST, with Volkanovski expected to step into the cage around 2–2:30pm.