UFC featherweight champion Alex Volkanovski reveals he tried out for TUF as a welterweight

UFC featherweight champion Alexander Volkanovski is currently one of the greatest MMA fighters in the world. However, there was once a time when the UFC rejected his audition to be part of a season of TUF.

Fast forward several years and he is now a head coach on season 27 of the UFC's reality show/tournament. The 145lbs champ has come a long way since his initial rejection.

Volkanovski on trying out for TUF as a welterweight

In a recent interview with Submission Radio, Volkanovski revealed that he tried out for a season of TUF following the only loss of his career to date, against Corey Nelson in 2013. Volkanovski was asked if he saw any of himself in the young prospects he has been coaching. Volk replied with:

"Yeah man, for sure. That was the first thing I said to them, before everything started. I was like guys, this is a huge opportunity. An opportunity I tried myself and didn't make it. I tried out for The Ultimate Fighter and didn't make it."

When asked at what weightclass he tried out for, Volkanovski revealed, with a wry smile, that it was welterweight.

Welterweight is, of course, two weight classes higher than Volkanovski's current division. Later in the interview, Volkanovski went into further detail about his attempted shot at TUF. The Aussie did not appear to be holding resentment over not getting picked. He stated that:

"It was obviously a weight division I should never have been in. I wasn't as comfortable in front of the camera as I am now as well... Plus I was a five foot six welterweight, coming off a loss. There's a few things there that probably played a factor into not getting picked. But it's all good man, it just adds to the story."

Volkanovski went on to note that there were fighters on that season of TUF that he later defeated. His victories proved that he likely could have had some level of success on the show, despite the different weight division.