Does Volkanovski deserve to be called one of Australia's greatest athletes?

When you think about the best Aussies to ever step onto a sporting field, a few names come to mind. And you might even delve into some criteria while you're at it.

You look at statistics like that of Sir Don Bradman, and the pub trivia answer of 99.94.

You picture accolades like those of Emma McKeon, who has the unique distinction of being able to wear a different Olympic gold medal every day for a fortnight.

You conjure up iconic moments like that of Cathy Freeman lighting up the torch in Sydney on her way to donning the hooded track suit and winning gold.

You think of rivalries and respect, like Mollie O'Callaghan sharing an embrace with Ariarne Titmus on the podium and calling her an "absolute gun".

In the fighting realm, there have been no shortage of greats. Jeff Fenech, "John" Wayne Parr and adopted son Kostya Tszyu, just to name a few.

READ: He beat Mundine so why isn't this Aussie fighter a household name?

In the young sport of mixed martial arts, a few Aussies have made a name for themselves. But none have shone brighter on fight night quite like "The Great".

After his victory in a rematch against Diego Lopes at UFC 325 in Sydney, Alexander Volkanovski's record now stands at 28-4 with 16 finishes.

Of those, six have been successful title defenses, which places him second of all-time in the featherweight division. He also now has eight title fight victories, tying the record in his division.

Volkanovski is a two-time UFC champion with multiple defenses. That alone elevates him far above any other Aussie to step foot in the Octagon.

Only two other Australians have held UFC gold. Robert Whittaker ruled the middleweight division from 2017 to 2019, but has no successful defenses on record. Though he did beat rival Yoel Romero during his title run, Romero's weight miss rendered the fight a non-title bout.

Jack Della Madallena recently held the welterweight crown, but he succumbed to former Volkanovski rival Islam Makhachev in his first defense.

What is sport if not theatre unfolding without a script?

Volkanovski's career has seen many memorable moments. Who could forget him escaping what looked like certain defeat via guillotine choke at the hands of Brian Ortega?

Or that time he had his back taken by Makhachev but, ever the battler, kept throwing punches from odd angles to stay in the fight?

Or when he came back from two straight knockout losses and, at 36 years old, recaptured the belt against the younger Lopes?

Each of the 21 undisputed featherweight title fights in UFC history have included one of three men: Volkanovski, Max Holloway and Jose Aldo.

Holloway ruled the division from 2017 to 2019, defending the strap three times before losing it to Volkanovski. The two would go on to have a storied trilogy, with Volk coming out on top for all three tilts.

Aldo was the original featherweight king as the inaugural champ, holding the belt over seven title defenses from 2010 to 2015. Volkanovski beat Aldo before embarking on his own title run.

The UFC seems to think Volkanovski is the division's GOAT, if its promotional material is anything to go by.

So, too, does former opponent Chad Mendes, who said his "multiple victories over some of the top guys" solidifies his status.

"The proof is in the pudding," Mendes said.

Damien Brown, a UFC veteran from Brisbane who entered the UFC the same year as Volkanovski, said before the fight: "I think if Volk wins (against Lopes) it would be hard to argue he isn't the GOAT. He certainly is the best featherweight of the modern era."

His homecoming, UFC 325, sold out the Qudos Bank Arena, with 18,102 fans in attendance.

MMA in Australia has long moved on from the days when journalists (myself included) lobbied for cage fighting to be made legal in certain states.

The sport has no doubt increased in popularity since the UFC first held an event on our shores in 2010. The company has hosted cards in five states, and the top two most attended events in its history were held in Melbourne.

Volk is a fan favourite among MMA diehards and casuals alike, even starring in a series of ads for Sportsbet and Kia.

Impact and popularity, after all, are mainstays in these arbitrary GOAT arguments.

So does Australia's best UFC representative deserve to be recognised among the most iconic?

Brown opined: "He should be in the conversation with some of the country's best in any sport. Is he on the level of Don Bradman? I'm not sure because that's an iconic or immortal conversation."

Perhaps the final verdict will only be made long after "The Great" hangs up his gloves for good. But if you ask the man himself, that call won't be coming out of his mouth.

"I'll just keep doing my thing and let that speak for itself," Volkanovski said at the post-fight press conference when asked about his place among Australia's sporting icons.

"Let people do the talking, you know? I ain't the one that'll sit there going 'oh, I should be there, I should be there'."