The first mega UFC PPV of 2023 is finally here! UFC 284 will take place inside the RAC Arena in Perth, Australia. In the main event, Alexander Volkanovski is set to challenge the newly crowned UFC lightweight champ Islam Makhachev. The featherweight champ has a chance to become only the 4th male champ-champ in the company. Hence the bout has the potential to have historical implications.
The fans are also massively invested in the fight. According to UFC President Dana White, the card is trending to be an all-time record-breaker. Islam Makhachev holds an 11-fight win streak heading into the fight, while Volkanovski has 12 successive wins under his belt ahead of the fight. But it is important to remember, Islam’s last opponent, Charles Oliveira, also held a great win streak before fighting the Dagestani phenomenon.
Alexander Volkanovski defeated Max Holloway in his last fight at UFC 276. Not only did he beat Max, but Alex handed him the worst beating he suffered in his career. From dusting The Korean Zombie to dominating Holloway and Brian Ortega, Alexander Volkanovski has definitely put his name up there as one of the greatest featherweight fighters in the sport’s history. He has defended the featherweight belt 4-times so far.
It has been a while since two divisional Champs have gone head-to-head. So who gets the win this Saturday? Does Makhachev hold on to his belt? Or does Volkanovski shock the world to become the new lightweight champion? Let’s find out!
UFC 284: Islam Makhachev vs Alexander Volkanovski, Stats
Stats | Islam Makhachev | Alexander Volkanovski |
---|---|---|
Wins | 23 | 25 |
Losses | 1 | 1 |
Height | 1.78 m | 1.68 m |
Division | Lightweight | Lightweight |
Reach | 179.1 cm | 181.6 cm |
Age | 31 | 35 |
Makhachev vs Volkanovski: Fight Breakdown
The most important chatter heading into the fight is the size difference between the two. While Islam is close to 5’10, Volkanovski stands near 5’6. As a result, some fans are automatically ruling out Volkanovski. But Volk has 3 wins over Max Holloway, who stands at 5’11.
So the notion that Volkanovski can not deal with the height difference, is perhaps misguided. But Islam is much more physically imposing than Max Holloway. So it is going to be interesting to see how Alex deals with the power.
Putting the size difference aside, the striking stats are certainly in Volkanovski’s favor. As per UFC Stats, Alex lands 6.79 strikes per minute and absorbs 3.53 strikes in return. Makhachev, on the other hand, manages to land 2.37 strikes per minute. But his opponents over the years have landed less than a single punch in return over the years! It is a staggering number, considering that Makhachev has 13 fights in the UFC.
It just proves no fighter in the company is more defensively sound than Makhachev. Perhaps the biggest reason behind it is his wrestling credentials. Makhachev manages to secure 3.42 takedowns per fight. While Volkanovski also manages 1.71 takedowns per fight, it is nowhere near Makhachev’s stats.
The Aussie only averages 0.2 submission attempts per fight, while Makhachev attempts 1.3 submissions per fight. Islam has 11 submission wins and Alex has 3 submission wins in their respective careers.
https://youtube.com/watch?v=drRNlyD-bIE&si=EnSIkaIECMiOmarE
But Islam’s record of 4 KO/TKO wins pales in comparison to Volkanovski’s 12 KO/TKO wins. But as fans saw against Charles Oliveira, Makhachev certainly has lights-out power. So the question ultimately becomes, can Volkanovski overcome the much-talked-about size difference? Alex’s recent finishing record is nothing to gloat about either. Coach Firas Zahabi also pointed it out recently.
As Zahabi revealed, it looks like Volkanovski’s only chance to win hinges on his ability to survive the entire 5 rounds. But the possibility of Islam taking down Volkanovski seems inevitable.
Despite the 31-year-old claiming that he wants to knock out Alexander Volkanovski, he will definitely land a takedown at the first chance he gets. Although Islam may not get a KO win, it seems likely that Makhachev gets a submission win to have his first successful title defense.