“I am different from Chansung Jung. I don’t go in front like that crazy.”
UFC lightweight (65.8kg) champion Islam Makhachev (31, Russia) issued a warning message to Alexander Volkanovski (35, Australia), the pound for pound (P4P) and featherweight (70.3kg) champion.
At the UFC 284: Makachev vs. Volkanovski press conference held on the 10th (Korean time), Makachev said, “I have a different style” from Volkanovski’s past opponents. Makhachev will defend his lightweight title against Volkanovski on the 12th at the RAC Arena in Perth, Australia.
Volkanovsky overpowered all of his past opponents with blows. In April of last year, he met Jeong Chan-sung at UFC 273 and won a 4th round TKO victory after a one-sided fight.
Max Holloway, considered one of the greatest fighters in featherweight history before Volkanovski, was no exception. Volkanovski defeated Holloway three times. In particular, the third game held in July of last year was the difference between the level of an adult and a child.
But Makachev thinks he’s on a different level than Volkanovski’s past opponents. He said, “I’m different from Holloway, who just followed Volkanovski. I have other plans, and I always finish my opponents according to my plan.”
The other plan is expected to be grappling. Raised in a mountain village in the Republic of Dagestan in the Russian Federation, Makachev wrestled and trained in sambo with 29-fight former UFC champion Khabib Nurmagomedov from the age of eight. With grappling at the forefront, Makachev won a gold medal at the World Sambo Championships in 2016 and became the UFC lightweight champion in 2022.
Makachev is currently rated as the best grappler in the UFC. He boasts the highest takedown success rate (66.7%) in UFC lightweight history and controls his opponent from top position for nearly half of his fight time (46.3%)먹튀검증. He is also excellent in ground decision-making and has recorded 6 submission victories.
But is it a sabotage operation? He declared that this time he would KO instead of submit. Makachev said, “This time, KO is the goal. Because Volkanovski is a great striker. I will KO him and become the P4P king.”
But Volkanovski doesn’t believe it. He said, “The reason Makachev has done so well so far is because he is a calculating fighter. He doesn’t take unnecessary risks,” he said. “Makachev will aim for a takedown, and that will never be easy.”
The fight between the two fighters will be the first P4P rankings #1 vs #2 fight in UFC history. P4P is a ranking that determines who is the best fighter, assuming that all fighters are of the same weight class. Currently, Volkanovski is in first place and Makhachev is in second place. The winner of this match will truly be the best fighter in the UFC.
Volkanovski and Makachev successfully completed the weigh-in on the 11th, leaving only a decisive battle. Makachev passed the weigh-in at 155 pounds (70.3 kg) and Volkanovski weighed in at 154.5 pounds (70.1 kg).
Yair Rodriguez (30, Mexico) and Josh Emmett (37, USA), who are competing for the interim featherweight title in the co-main event, both weighed in at 145 pounds.
An interim title fight was created as champion Volkanovski was on a hiatus from a challenge for the lightweight title. The interim champion has the right to fight for the unified title when the official champion returns, and if the champion fails to return, he will succeed and become the official champion.
The UFC 284: Makachev VS Volkanovski main card will be broadcast live on TVING from 12:00 PM on Sunday, February 12th. Undercard will be broadcast live on TVING from 10:00 am.