While Islam Makhachev may have vanquished Alexander Volkanovski by sending him to the “Deep Ocean,” Volkanovski certainly proved his grappling prowess today.
Islam Makhachev and Alexander Volkanovski fought each other in the octagon today at the RAC Arena in Perth, Australia. Makhachev, the reigning champion of the lightweight division, successfully defended his title against Alexander Volkanovski, who is the reigning champion of the featherweight division.
Alexander Volkanovski:
✅ Went up a weight class
✅ Put his UFC undefeated record on the line
✅ Went 5 rounds with the lightweight champion
✅ Stuffed the takedowns
✅ Got a knockdown
✅ One round away from winningDared to be great and challenged himself 👏 pic.twitter.com/8yGDPTCb01
— OOC MMA (@oocmma) February 12, 2023
Fans of the Ultimate Fighting Championship have speculated for weeks about who will win the blockbuster showdown between the current lightweight champion and Alexander ‘The Great’. Islam triumphed over his octagon opponent to emerge as the new pound-for-pound king of the world.
As expected from a bout between two of the best fighters in the world, there was relentless action and excitement from the start of the match until the final bell. As soon as the fight began, both contenders showed off their exceptional MMA skills and techniques.
#UFC284 Official Scorecards: Islam Makhachev (@MAKHACHEVMMA) vs Alexander Volkanovski
See every judges' scorecard from #UFC284 here ➡️: https://t.co/enKup6T3NK pic.twitter.com/5DJgiyxJdU
— UFC News (@UFCNews) February 12, 2023
Alexander Volkanovski had a lot to prove after Islam’s prior accusation that he is not a better grappler. Islam made this accusation before the fight took place. The Australian fighter throughout the bout showed outstanding grappling skills on and off proving how seriously he took the fight and how much he actually improved since his last fight.
In the first round none of the fighters took any risk but in the second round things started to get more exhilarating. Volk avoided a takedown and started to prove how well he prepared for this super fight. In the third round, The Australian displayed some exceptional grappling skills that sent the crowd into a frenzy.
Lil Wayne Says He May NEVER Watch The UFC Again After Islam Makhachev's Victory Over Alexander Volkanovski https://t.co/VOG77DSgNX pic.twitter.com/KGI107HGq7
— Barstool Sports (@barstoolsports) February 12, 2023
In the fourth round, both “The Great” and “The Dagestani” exchanged a barrage of punches, high kicks, and jabs, which helped to keep the action moving and keep things intriguing. Nevertheless, after putting on a stellar performance, Vokanovsky was defeated by a unanimous decision with scores of 48-47, 48-47, and 49-46.
Alexander was gracious about the outcome, but he was ecstatic with the way he was able to show his opponent that he was actually wrong about his grappling skills.
“He didn’t respect my wrestling and grappling, and I guess maybe I didn’t respect his striking enough ’cause he landed some good shots. So fair play to both of us” said Volkanovski.
Win or loss, Alexander Volkanovski is the first person to ever stalemate the Dagestany style of wrestling which has never been done against an opponent, a weight class larger than him. Volk is the 🐐#UFC284 pic.twitter.com/KiCoes0KJO
— JustforMMA (@Son2Step) February 12, 2023
What are your thoughts on Alexander Volkanovski’s performance on the RAC Arena today, particularly his improved grappling skills? Do not forget to share with us.
