Alexander Volkanovski isn’t the only fighter to break the ’35 and over curse’…
UFC Featherweight Champion Alexander Volkanovski made company history last weekend, defeating a very dangerous Diego Lopes to take back his throne at UFC 314 by unanimous decision.
Volkanovski’s title win comes at the age of 36, making him the first fighter to win a UFC title over the age of 35 between the flyweight and lightweight divisions. This the ’35 and over curse’, the Australian also overcame the ‘Drake Curse’ after the rapper bet half a million on him to win.
The feat’s impressive, especially coming off back-to-back KO losses to Islam Makhachev and Ilia Topuria, but former UFC flyweight champion Demetrious Johnson says it’s been before.
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Demetrious Johnson: the ’35 and over curse’ has been broken outside the UFC
One of the greatest pound-for-pound fighters in MMA history for his record-setting 11 title defenses, Johnson weighs-in on Volkanovski’s latest accomplishment.
“Alexander Volkanovski, the first fighter thirty five years older to become champion in between 125lb-155lb division in the UFC…” Johnson read on his YouTube channel.
“This is so… it’s not frustrating, but there’s been other athletes outside of the UFC who’ve done it.”
“That just shows you how big the UFC is. Nobody recognizes any other organization,” Johnson explained.
Demetrious Johnson won a world title at 36 years old
In 2018, the UFC-signed Demetrious Johnson was traded off to ONE Championship for Ben Askren where the MMA legend continued his legacy overseas.
Johnson moved up a weight class and won the ONE Grand Prix before being knocked out by champion Adriano Moraes in a title fight. This was Johnson’s first-ever KO loss. He was 34 years old at the time.
More than a year later and a week after his 36th birthday, Johnson stopped Moraes in their rematch to win his second world title in Aug. 2022.
“That is a big feat, being over 35,” Johnson said.
“I think I’ve done it against Adriano when I did the flying knee…
“I was 36 years old and then I defended it at 37, I think.
“But any who, absolutely amazing,” Johnson said of Volkanovski being able to win the title at 36.
