The　reduced　graphene　oxide　(rGO)-promoted　alpha-MnO2　nanorods-supported　Pt　(xPt-yrGO/alpha-MnO2,　x　=　0.93　wt%,　y　=　0.5,　1.0,　and　2.0　wt%)　nanocatalysts　were　prepared　using　a　polyvinyl　alcohol　(PVA)-protected　reduction　method.　After　an　appropriate　loading　of　Pt　on　alpha-MnO2,　the　strong　metal-support　interaction　between　Pt　and　alpha-MnO2　was　beneficial　for　an　increase　in　catalytic　activity.　The　simultaneous　addition　of　rGO　to　alpha-MnO2　not　only　provided　a　more　amount　of　benzene　adsorption　sites,　but　also　acted　as　an　electron　transfer　channel　to　accelerate　charge　migration,　thus　further　improving　catalytic　activity　of　alpha-MnO2.　Among　all　of　the　catalyst　samples,　0.94Pt-1.0rGO/alpha-MnO2　showed　the　best　catalytic　performance　with　90%　benzene　conversion　at　160　degrees　C　and　a　gas　hourly　space　velocity　(GHSV)　of　60,000　mL/(g　h),　which　was　better　than　that　over　the　other　Pt-based　catalysts.　The　results　of　in　situ　DRIFTS　characterization　revealed　that　phenol,　benzoquinone,　and　carboxylate　species　were　the　intermediates　and　eventually　oxidized　to　CO2　and　H2O.　When　sulfur　dioxide　was　present,　catalytic　activity　of　alpha-MnO2　decreased　due　to　the　formation　of　manganese　sulfate　that　blocked　the　active　sites,　while　the　loading　of　Pt　and　rGO　hindered　the　chemisorption　of　SO2　and　prevented　the　active　sites　of　the　catalyst　from　being　poisoned　by　SO2,　thus　enhancing　sulfur　resistance　of　the　catalyst.　The　0.94Pt-1.0rGO/alpha-MnO2　catalyst　presented　in　this　work　can　be　considered　as　a　cost-effective　and　promising　catalyst　for　the　oxidative　removal　of　volatile　organic　compounds.