WATCH: “Short but strong” – Islam Makhachev and Alexander Volkanovski have heart-warming moment after brutal war at UFC 284
Makachev and Volkanovksi shows their lighter side in backstage interaction.
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Makachev and Volkanovski during their fight (Image Courtesy - MMA Fighting)
The main event of UFC 284 featured the clash between featherweight champion Alexander Volkanovski and lightweight champion Islam Makachev. Volkanovski came up short of dethroning Makachev as the lightweight champion. The result of the fight also drew criticism from celebrities and fans alike. But that didn’t stop the two champions from embracing each other following their competitive fight.
Backstage at UFC 284, both champions embraced each other and promised to fight again soon. In a video posted by Volkanovski on his YouTube channel, the two can be seen showing respect. They remained cordial throughout the exchange and showcased their sportsman spirit.
This time, the rematch setting might be in Abu Dhabi, according to Alexander Volkanovksi. The two fighters are ranked No. 1 (Volk) and No. 2 (Islam) on the Pound-for-Pound list of UFC.
The judges scored the fight 49-46, 48-47 and 48-47, with Makhachev winning via unanimous decision against Volkanovski, handing him the first loss of his UFC career. Though Makachev won the contest, Volk nearly stripped Makhachev of his invincibility.
Now, both fighters look to engage amongst the fighters in their respective divisions. Volkanovski will face the challenge of UFC Interim Featherweight Champion Yair Rodriguez, whereas Islam Makachev will await who the UFC puts before him for the next title shot.
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Beneil Dariush could be the most well-rounded fighter to face Makachev in a potential fight
Though Charles Oliveira is highly skilled, his takedown defence was probably never elite, and Makachev took him down twice. On the other hand, Alexander Volkanovski had great defensive wrestling that kept Islam Makachev at bay for most of their fight. He did not have the offensive wrestling to challenge Makachev. However, Beneil Dariush might have both of them.
Dariush is on an 8-fight winning streak, which should most likely make him the next contender to fight for the Lightweight Championship. But he is currently scheduled to face Charles Oliveira at UFC 288. Dariush possesses great wrestling and submission skills and can outpoint anyone with his stand-up ability. His excellent takedown defense was very evident against the dangerous Mateusz Gamrot.
Dariush’s skillset can potentially keep Islam from getting the takedown and keep the fight on the feet as much as possible. He can also potentially go for takedowns to present Islam with a tougher fight than even Volkanovski gave him. Volkanovski could not compete with Islam on the submission game as Volk is not known for his submission skills, but Dariush is a great grappler that can potentially give Islam the biggest challenge of his career.
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Gerard Crispin
(3318 Articles Published)