That's the message from Shellharbour product Alex Volkanovski as he prepares for the biggest fight of his UFC career.

Volkanovski will challenge Max Holloway for the featherweight belt at UFC 245 in Las Vegas on December 15. (ADST). Volkanovski told the Mercury he was ready and had no doubt he would beat the American.

"I'm a bad match up for Max Holloway, even though he's a champion," he said.

"He's done a lot of great things... but this game goes a lot deeper than he beat this guy, he beat that guy. Styles make fights and stylistically, I'm just too strong and I'm too powerful.

"Things that Max likes to use and work so well for him don't work against me. Plain and simple. And that's what's going to be hard for him. I get to fight my fight and I'm going to be a problem for him."

Volkanovski will board a plane to New Zealand in the coming days and will be based at Auckland's City Kickboxing gym ahead of UFC 245.

It's a move that Volkanovski and his coach Joe Lopez have used in the past to prepare for major fights.

"City Kickboxing's got guys like UFC fighters Israel Adesanya, Dan Hooker, Brad Riddell, Kai Kara-France and Shane Young," he said.

"They've also got a bunch of good kick boxers, athletes and boxers. They're high level training partners and obviously Joe and I get along with them really well.

"We've put in the hard yards and obviously the last two or three weeks of training are going to be crucial. I'll peak at the right time."

Volkanovski, who boasts a UFC career record of 20-1, trains regularly at Windang's Freestyle Fighting Gym.

Home is important for the featherweight fighter.

"The support back here has always been good and obviously right now you don't get much bigger than this," Volkanovski said.

"Bringing that big, shiny belt back here, it's going to mean a lot to our area. But it's been earned, not given - I've went through the hard yards. I've done what needs to be done and I've had that local support the whole time.

"I don't have the UFC hyping me up and giving me opponents that they thought were easy for me. I've been fighting the best fighters out there and shooting through the ranks. I've taken out the best."

See more: Home where the heart is for Alex Volkanovski

Volkanovski believes a key to his success is having a strong work ethic. And a fearless attitude to take on bigger opponents. Those two qualities were formed long before his combat sports days.

"It goes back to playing rugby league for the Warilla Gorillas, even playing for rep sides [like] Group 7, Southern Division," he said.

"I've always been the short guy on the field. I am five foot, five [now], or five foot six if I'm lucky. But I've always had that drive, that never give up type of attitude.

"I'm obviously very strong for my size. I used to be 97 kilograms and I banged that weight down to the featherweight division. Once these featherweights have me grab hold of them, they think 'wow, what is this guy made of?'.

"You can only think what Max is going to feel once I grab hold of him, especially now that I'm more stronger than ever. I'm ready to show the world that I'm the best featherweight [fighter] in the world."

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