High up on the eastern ridge of Macquarie Pass National Park, looking back toward the Pacific Ocean off the New South Wales coast, a deer hangs from a tree by its ankles in Alexander Volkanovski's backyard.
"We got that last night," Volkanovski tells ESPN of the animal that he and his father, Tony, shot -- legally -- as his 13 Hereford cattle munch on the luscious green grass behind a nearby fence.
There are also a set of football posts -- an homage to Volkanovski's first sporting love, rugby league, and a career that was only one rung below the professional level -- a veggie garden, and sweeping views that might just be as good as any along Australia's eastern seaboard.
"Venison sausages, you get a bit of pork fat because venison can be quite lean; but in saying that [the deer] it was actually pretty fatty," Volkanovski says of the plan for his kill. "My dad makes some wicked sausages. So I'm looking forward to that. Stay tuned [for] Cooking with Volk."
Life and the UFC have been good to Volkanovski. The gorgeous new abode he and his family now call home reflects his success, but also the need for a little more privacy, so too space that will become even more valuable once Volkanovski and wife, Emma, welcome a fourth daughter later this year.
While a sprawling estate and the smart electric vehicle Volkanovski has charging might suggest an athlete who had forgotten his humble beginnings, a conversation with Volkanovski's father leaves you in little doubt that "Volk" is still "Volk" -- just with a few more creature comforts -- and that anyone writing off his son in his attempt to become a two-time UFC champion does so at their own peril.
"I didn't understand how hard he trains until I moved in with him here," Tony Volkanovski, who lives in a granny flat on the same piece of property, tells ESPN. "He's built differently."
But 14 months on from Volkanovski's last fight, a second-round KO loss to Ilia Topuria that saw Volkanovski dethroned as featherweight champion for the first time in over four years, the question on everyone's lips is: At 36 years of age, why does he continue to fight on?
For not only did one of the UFC's most referenced stats -- in title fights at welterweight or below, fighters 35 or over hold a collective 3-25 record, per ESPN Research -- add Volkanovski to its list of victims in 2024, but he is now another year older and this weekend's opponent at UFC 314 in Miami, Diego Lopes, is six years his junior.
"I know a lot of people are going to bring up the losses, like I want the bounce-back [win] because of the losses," Volkanovski says of a recent skid that has seen him drop three of past four fights at featherweight and lightweight. "But there's more to it than that though, right? It's the 'oh, he's old, he's had over a year off', there's a lot of questions again.
"But everyone knows I love this position. I'm always talking about being the underdog and the doubters and all that. And rightfully people have every right to doubt me.
"And that excites me to go out there and show them because I know I'm going to go out there and I'm bringing that belt back to Australia.
"I learned so much in this break. I can't wait to be that same champion I was but [also] have the understanding that I have right now while I'm a champion, because I didn't fully get it back then.
"I didn't understand what it's like to be the man outside of fighting and, and whatnot. And I get that now."
The "understanding" Volkanovski refers to is a newfound comfort within his own skin. Few UFC fans will forget his emotional postfight interview following a crushing defeat by Islam Makhachev in their lightweight title rematch in 2023.
"I was doing my head in not fighting. Don't know why. I've got a beautiful family. I think you just need to keep busy. So I ask the UFC to keep me busy," a teary Volkanovski said following that bruising loss.
"I need to be in camp or I'm gonna do my head in. I'll leave it at that."
And then came the lightbulb moment, one Volkanovski had been pushing back against for some time.
"The thought would be there," Volkanovski admits when asked whether he'd contemplated retirement in the past 14 months. "Do you still have it? They were more the thoughts, not the 'Oh, let's just pack it up'. It was never that. But it's like, do you still have it? Because I'm in unfamiliar territory.
"I've never had my training schedule around life. It has always been my life around my training schedule, which was different for me.
"It was weird. You know what I mean? So there was questions, even though I loved it. So I was like, man, this is good.
"[I was asking] Do you want to go back? And maybe that would come up and I was like, yeah, I still got it in me. But then again, 'oh, do you have it in you? Is it still there?' And then I'd have to tell myself, once you flip the switch, it'll be there. Relax.
"I'm an overthinker, right? I'm always going to be overthinking, so there were questions. So that's why I started camp early, because I wanted to commit early. I wanted to flip that switch and I wanted to feel it early. And I did.
"I'm more disciplined than ever [now]. I haven't had a cheat meal for, I think it's 12 weeks now, some 12, 13 [weeks]. We haven't had a drop of alcohol for maybe even a bit longer."
One look at Volkanovski's physique ahead of his featherweight title showdown with Lopes -- champion Ilia Topuria vacated the division for a move up to lightweight -- is evidence enough that having a "training schedule around my life" hasn't affected the 36-year-old's preparations.
While he hopes that there might be an opportunity to lock horns with Topuria once more before his time in the Octagon is up, Volkanovski has been laser-focused on Lopes since the title fight was confirmed in late February.
"Dangerous fighter. I think he deserves this [title shot]," Volkanovski said of Lopes.
"Some people said 'Oh, it was quick', but I mean, being so active, the fighting style that he has, beating [Brian] Ortega, put him right there. You know what I mean? When you do all those things people want to see you fighting for the belt, and so does the UFC.
"So it's no surprise to me that he's got this shot, that me and him are fighting for the vacant belt. Lucky enough for the other people that might have thought they deserved it [is] that I'm going to be that active champ, I'm going to go out there and be able to defend a few times a year and keep everyone busy.
"What do I think of Lopes as a fighter? Very aggressive, dangerous fighter. But, mate, this old dog's still got it. And I'm going to show you that this old dog can take out the new school, no worries. Old school versus new school."
The reality of Saturday night's fight [10 p.m. ET; Sunday afternoon AEST] for Volkanovski is stark. Win, and another run as featherweight champion is entirely possible. Lose, and it's hard to see how -- or why -- he would fight on with his legacy as one of the UFC's all-time greats almost certainly assured.
Nor does he need to win any popularity contests either. For not only has Volkanovski endeared himself to the UFC's worldwide fan base, but he has also taken what was once a fringe sport in Australia to the masses, establishing himself as one of the most adored individual athletes the country has produced this century -- an honor usually reserved for footballers or cricketers.
"I think one of my greatest accomplishments when people ask me, it isn't the title, it isn't world champion, it's the fact that I've been able to be myself through the whole process. So that's something that I'm very proud of," Volkanovski tells ESPN.
"Just being me through the whole process, always trying to give back to everyone, not only supporters, media, sponsors. And I guess everyone, they see the fight side, but they get to see who I really am. I think the world gets to see that as well, because that's who you see on stage ... everyone I've talked to [has] said nothing but good things about you, which I love.
"I love hearing that stuff more than people be like, 'Oh, you're a champ'. I was like, yeah, whatever. You know what I mean? I don't really care too much about that. But when I can inspire people being good human beings, that really hits a lot harder, I feel."
Again, the conversation circles back to why he is fighting on?
The answer may not directly lie in adding a stroke to the win column for that notorious 35-or-over, welterweight-and-below title stat, but it certainly does have to do with defying father time.
"I'm expecting to have three fights this year. And that's two defenses. That's winning the belt back, two-time champion, a couple of defenses. I mean, it's massive. It's huge. This is going to probably be my best year at this age. That's incredible.
"I mean, talk about the comeback. That's what people are going to remember ... I'm going to be one to remember. This story is nowhere near finished. The end of 2025, you guys are going to be looking at something special and we're going to keep that rolling."
And so Volkanovski's complete transition to "the simple life" may have to wait a year or two. Fortunately, there are homemade venison sausages to tide the Volkanovski clan over in the meantime.