Islam Makhachev vs. Alexander Volkanovski full fight preview | UFC 284

Final Preventing Championship (UFC) champions Islam Makhachev and Alexander Volkanovski will battle for the Light-weight crown TONIGHT (Sat., Feb. 11, 2023) at UFC 284 inside RAC Area in Perth, Australia.

Makhachev lived as much as Father’s plan. Following in Khabib Nurmagomedov’s footsteps, Makhachev methodically labored up the Light-weight ladder after which stomped Charles Oliveira (watch it), proving all doubters fallacious in some of the dominant challenger-turned-champion performances in current reminiscence. Because of this, he’s technically the brand new champion, however he’s greater than established on the high due to his present 11-fight win streak. Volkanovski gained seven bouts earlier than his personal title win, a mantle he’s defended 4 extra occasions since. He’s clearly asserted himself as the perfect 145-pounder on the planet, additionally claiming the highest spot on the pound-for-pound listing within the course of. Because of his dominance, he created this opening for a foray as much as Light-weight as the remainder of the division tries to catch up.

Let’s take a more in-depth take a look at the keys to victory for every man:

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CHAMPION VS. CHAMPION SUPER FIGHT! Final Preventing Championship (UFC) heads again “Down Below” on Sat., Feb. 11, 2023, with newly-minted Light-weight champion, Islam Makhachev, defending his belt in opposition to dominant Featherweight kingpin, Alexander Volkanovski, in a particular 155-pound pay-per-view (PPV) attraction. In UFC 284’s co-main occasion, top-ranked Featherweight contenders Yair Rodriguez (No. 2) and Josh Emmett (No. 5) will collide for UFC’s interim 145-pound title, with the winner battling Volkanovski at a later date to unify the Featherweight crown.

Don’t miss a single second of EPIC face-punching action!

Islam Makhachev

Report: 23-1
Key Wins: Charles Oliveira (UFC 280), Arman Tsarukyan (UFC Battle Night time 149), Dan Hooker (UFC 267), Bobby Inexperienced (UFC Vegas 49), Drew Dober (UFC 259), Thiago Moises (UFC Vegas 31), Gleison Tibau (UFC 220)
Key Losses: Adriano Martins (UFC 192)
Keys to Victory: A Fight Sambo grasp, Makhachev makes use of Southpaw fundamentals on the toes solely lengthy sufficient to achieve the clinch. As soon as he’s chaining takedowns from the clinch and gaining high place, there’s nobody higher.

Makhachev’s finish recreation right here is clearly to attain the takedown, let’s not faux in any other case. Nonetheless, he’s the larger man and doesn’t need to waste vitality forcing takedowns. It behooves him to strike sufficient to earn Volkanovski’s respect, simply as he did in opposition to Oliveira. In opposition to the shorter man, he doesn’t want greater than a tough left kick and crisp cross to be an actual menace.

Countering Volkanovski’s kicks looks like a sensible transfer. The Australian is a genuinely nice kicker, and that’s seemingly his finest device to mitigate Makhachev’s attain edge. If, nevertheless, Makhachev cracks him with a pair lefts or, higher but, occasions a caught kick with a double leg, that can actually make the Australian assume twice.

As soon as on high, the main focus ought to be on management. Volkanovski goes to attempt to scramble like hell, and Makhachev’s purpose ought to be to make sure that the Featherweight “Nice” is losing vitality with out bettering place.

Alexander Volkanovski

Report: 25-1
Key Wins: Max Holloway (UFC 276, UFC 251, UFC 245), Brian Ortega (UFC 266), Jose Aldo (UFC 237), Chad Mendes (UFC 232), Chan Sung Jung (UFC 273)
Key Losses: None
Keys to Victory: Volkanovski is likely to be probably the most well-rounded fighter on the roster. He’s not traditionally a lot of a submission fighter, admittedly, however Volkanovski’s capacity to combat masterfully from his again foot, stress fighters, and wrestle his ass off actually places him within the dialog.

He can do all of it.

“The Nice” has to combine it up right here. That’s to not say he ought to be offensively wrestling or pursuing the clinch on his personal, however Volkanovski can’t win this match solely by preventing on the counter. He’ll get herded into the fence ultimately, and whereas I gained’t name {that a} dying sentence, it’s a giant freaking drawback.

Volkanovski has to again Makhachev up too. He can’t be tentative in exchanges; Volkanovksi needs to be attacking whereas main, within the pocket, and whereas avoiding the clinch. Hell, when Makhachev does handle to clinch up, Volkanovski must be framing and elbowing.

Harm provides up. If Volkanovski is continually hitting and scrambling relentlessly, he stands an actual likelihood at upsetting the Light-weight king.

Backside Line

For the primary time in UFC historical past, the highest two pound-for-pound fighters will collide.

Makhachev’s first title protection is a doozy. Measurement benefit or no, Volkanovski hasn’t misplaced in a decade. He’s driving top-of-the-line win streaks in UFC historical past. Ending that run means one thing, and whereas there are nonetheless main challenges left at 155 lbs., it goes a great distance in proving Makhachev’s greatness and confirming his grip on the division.

Conversely, that is Volkanovski’s likelihood to interrupt into the ranks of the all-time greats. If the Aussie achieves double champ standing by taking out Makhachev, his resume actually jumps from excellent to easily legendary. It could be a wild accomplishment, the kind that has very not often come to fruition in our sport’s quick historical past.

At UFC 284, Islam Makhachev and Alexander Volkanovski will go to warfare in the primary occasion. Which champion reigns supreme on this tremendous combat?

Do not forget that MMAmania.com will ship LIVE round-by-round, blow-by-blow protection of the complete UFC 284 combat card proper here, beginning with the early ESPN+ “Prelims” matches on-line, that are scheduled to start at 6 p.m. ET, then the remaining undercard on ESPN/ESPN+ at 8 p.m. ET, earlier than the PPV foremost card begin time at 10 p.m. ET on ESPN+ PPV.

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