It wasn't his move down to 145 pounds. It wasn't his merciless seizure of the UFC featherweight title. It wasn't his second defeat of Max Holloway. And it wasn't his recent stint as a coach on The Ultimate Fighter.
None of these things made Alex Volkanovski (22-1) a household name, a fighter liked and admired as much by casual fans as the hardcore set. But this Saturday at UFC 266 in Las Vegas, Volkanovski's long-awaited title defense against rival TUF coach and top contender Brian Ortega (15-1 [1 NC]) could establish him as a tentpole star in the UFC and one of a select few fighters who can cross over into the mainstream sporting consciousness.