Volkanovski swaps UFC for supercross

Australian UFC superstar Alexander Volkanovski is throwing his support behind the Australian Supercross Championship in 2024.

Fighting out of Windang, a suburb of Wollongong, the former UFC Featherweight champion has been named as event ambassador for the second round of the series, which will take place at WIN Stadium in his hometown on November 2.

Known widely by his nicknames ‘Volk’ and ‘The Great’, the popular MMA fighter was ceremoniously handed the “the keys to the stadium” and spoke to media about the similarities between UFC and supercross.

“There are many comparable elements between supercross and MMA,” said Volkanovski. “These guys put their bodies on the line every time they race and must be extremely physically fit and mentally resilient to compete.”

The 35-year-old also spoke about how he used to ride dirt bikes “a little bit” when he was younger, but admitted he is not sure he’ll be “jumping on a bike just yet”.

“I’ve got a lot to learn, but I’m a big fan of the sport and can’t wait to watch these amazing riders go hard at WIN Stadium,” he said.

The return of national level supercross to the Illawarra region is sure to excite local fans, while organisers are also hoping to attract new fans.

“As expected, the Illawarra region and NSW fanbase have been incredibly forthcoming with their support,” said Championship Director, Kelly Bailey. “We can’t wait to welcome existing fans together with new fans.”

Three rounds of the 2024 series have been announced so far, with Redcliffe in Queensland set to host the first round, and Adelaide to host the third round in conjunction with the Adelaide 500 Supercars event.

Freestyle motocross star Harry Bink helped promote the Redcliffe event last week by performing a double backflip on Redcliffe Jetty.

The fourth and final round is still to be revealed, but a return to Victoria, most likely Melbourne, is a strong possibility.