Volkanovski submits NFL giant Jordan Mailata despite being lifted off the ground

Former UFC featherweight champion Alexander Volkanovski proved size is no guarantee of safety when he stepped into the cage with Philadelphia Eagles offensive lineman Jordan Mailata, a fellow Australian and Super Bowl winner, for a series of head-to-head physical challenges. Despite standing well over a foot shorter than the 6-foot-8 Mailata, Volkanovski came out on top in every exchange.

The two compatriots first squared off on a punch machine, trading blows to measure raw striking power. Mailata then volunteered to absorb Volkanovski’s body shots firsthand — a decision the lineman audibly regretted — before the featherweight great demonstrated his wrestling by taking the giant clean off his feet.

The most striking moment came when Volkanovski locked in a choke submission on Mailata, completing the finish even as the massive NFL lineman hoisted him into the air. It was a vivid illustration of how elite grappling technique can neutralise a significant size and strength advantage.

Mailata was a willing and good-humoured participant throughout, though he admitted on more than one occasion that he was questioning his own judgment for agreeing to take part. He did get one opportunity to lean on his professional skills — a final segment that had him using his pass-blocking technique to shield a dummy from Volkanovski — but the MMA champion still managed to find a way through.

Volkanovski, who has spent the majority of his UFC career as one of the smaller fighters in any given weight class, is no stranger to overcoming physical disadvantages. The sequence with Mailata served as a light-hearted but pointed reminder of why technical skill and fight-specific conditioning matter far beyond raw size — even when the size gap is as extreme as it was here.