Summary
February’s UFC 284 pay-per-view will feature an exciting main event battle between the UFC Lightweight champion Islam Makhachev and the UFC reigning Featherweight champion Alex Volkanovski. “The Great” Volkanovski (25-1) is confident to take down Makhachev inside the octagon. And when he beats Makhachev, he doesn’t want fans to blame it on the disappearing act of his mentor Khabib Nurmagomedov.
In an interview with The MMA Hour, Alex Volkanovski spoke of his confidence and plan to steamroll Makhachev.
In a tone of confidence, “The Great” featherweight king demands that people must not take anything away blaming Makhachev’s mentor Khabib’s absence if he beats him.
“I know people push narratives and all that type of stuff,” Volkanovski told The MMA Hour. “At the end of the day, Islam is a great fighter. He’s the one who’s going in there and doing his work. So again, if my hand gets raised, don’t be [complaining]. These are excuses. He’s fought plenty of times with Khabib not in his corner.”
Volkanovski added, “He’s going to turn up and show up in the Octagon anyway, even if Khabib is there or not. So I’m preparing for the same Islam that I’ve seen, and again, if things go how I plan on them going, don’t start changing narratives and start using all these excuses, because it’s the guy in front of him that’s the problem.”
UFC Featherweight Champion Alex Volkanovski
The Australian MMA star Alexander Volkanovski boasts a 25-1 record in MMA with 12 KOs. The 34-year-old is the current UFC featherweight champion and #1 in the UFC men’s pound-for-pound rankings.
In December 2019, in UFC 245, he defeated Max Holloway via a unanimous decision to clinch the UFC featherweight title. He has defended his belt four times since then, against Brian Ortega, Jung-chan Sung, and Max Holloway twice.
In July 2022, in UFC 276, he defeated Max Holloway via a unanimous decision to defend his title. “The Great” is on a 22-fight winning streak. He never lost in the UFC.
UFC Lightweight Champion Islam Makhachev
The Russian MMA star Islam Makhachev boasts a 23-1 MMA record with 4 KOs. The 31-year-old is the UFC lightweight champion and #2 in the UFC men’s pound-for-pound rankings.
He has only one defeat in his career, a TKO defeat against Adriano Martins in UFC 192 in October 2015. He is on an 11-fight winning streak.
In UFC 280, in October 2022, he defeated Charles Oliveira via submission to clinch the vacant lightweight belt.
Makhachev is scheduled to make his first title defense against Alexander Volkanovski, on February 12, 2023, at UFC 284.
