While it’s easier for the U.F.C. to market stars with large, grandiose personalities, the company has made a strategic effort to still prop up Alexander Volkanovski, the featherweight champion.
Volkanovski, who has not lost at 145 pounds since entering the U.F.C. in 2016, is currently the No. 2 ranked pound-for-pound fighter on the roster. He nearly beat the 155-pound lightweight champion Islam Makhachev in February, as he attempted to hold belts in two different weight classes simultaneously.
The U.F.C. annually produces one of its strongest cards during International Fight Week, a weeklong showcase in Las Vegas that includes events such as the U.F.C. Hall of Fame induction. Main events for cards during International Fight Week in the past have included Conor McGregor, Jon Jones and Israel Adesanya, stars with personas that seem more brash than Volkanovski’s even-keeled demeanor.
By placing Volkanovski against the interim featherweight champion Yair Rodríguez in this slot, the U.F.C. indicated that it believes Volkanovski’s star power is big enough to carry one if its marquee events. Volkanovski said he is honored by that even though he has not talked unnecessary trash or changed his character.
“It just shows where we’re going in that we’re obviously pushing the needle good enough to be in the position we are, and I was able to be myself through the whole process,” Volkanovski said in an interview. “I’m trying to inspire a lot of people and I think it’s working.”
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