Makhachev, Volkanovski renew their rivalry

Islam Makhachev and Alexander Volkanovski will renew hostilities when they battle in the lightweight championship main event of UFC 294, set for the Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi on Saturday evening.

Makhachev (24-1) and Volkanovski (26-2) battled in a lightweight title match at UFC 284 back in February, with the former defending his belt with a unanimous decision triumph – though ‘The Great’ ended the match strongly in his quest to become the simultaneous holder of both the featherweight championship (which he defended in July with a TKO win over Yair Rodriguez) and had his bigger opponent rattled after five rounds, despite ending on the losing side.

Makhachev was set to face Charles Oliveira at this event – the man he defeated to win the lightweight strap a year ago – but the Brazilian was forced to withdraw due to injury, handing Volkanovski another shot at emulating Conor McGregor, Amanda Nunes, Daniel Cormier and Henry Cejudo as a simultaneous two weight division champion.

The Australian admits that taking on this challenge at short notice is far from ideal, but he is excited for the opportunity: “Have I been on holidays? Yeah. Have I had a couple of drinks here and there? Yeah I have. But I guess that's why I feel fresh. Excited. I don't feel worn out.”

Volkanovski added, “A lot of people talk the talk, not many walk the walk. But I get to prove once again, I've got them big cojones. It's crazy. It really is. I got told about Charles having to pull out [on Wednesday 11 October] and we said 'alright let's do it'.

“I just said ‘make sure it's worth it and let's do it’. Obviously this is a pretty crazy thing to do. There's not many fighters out there that would do this, especially in my position. But I always say that I am that guy. I am the guy that will do anytime, anywhere, any weight. This is the opportunity to prove that again against a tough, game opponent.”

Makhachev, meanwhile, acknowledges that Volkanovski has nothing to lose and everything to gain, but is confident that the result will be the same as when the pair met earlier this year.

“I thought they will give me [top contender Mateusz] Gamrot, but I heard Gamrot didn’t get this fight,” Makhachev explained. “But when they said it’s going to be Volkanovski, it’s not a big surprise for me because this guy, what [does] he lose? He take fight on 10 days’ short notice, he will come, he don’t put his belt [on the line], he just make money. That’s it.”

The Russian added, “Honestly, I’m happy because after the last fight, we have many questions. But all answers are going to be in Abu Dhabi inshallah.”

The rest of the main card features a potentially thrilling clash between Nigerian-born former welterweight world champion Kamaru Usman and Khamzat Chimaev in the middleweight division; a light heavyweight battle pitting Magomed Ankalaev against Johnny Walker; Warlley Alves faces Ikram Aliskerov in the middleweight division; and the bantamweight opener is Said Nurmagomedov v Muin Gafurov.