5 ways in which Islam Makhachev vs. Alexander Volkanovski can turn out
Islam Makhachev is scheduled to make his first title defense against Alexander Volkanovski at UFC 284 next year. For the Dagestani grappler, it is his first step towards forging his own legacy and wrestling away the pound-for-pound No.1 spot from his opponent.
For 'The Great', it is an opportunity to cement his status as the sport's best fighter by becoming a two-division champion. While most fans expect Islam Makhachev's size to be an insurmountable obstacle for the reigning featherweight champion, there are countless ways that the fight could turn out.
Khabib Nurmagomedov's training partner might emerge victorious in a dominant manner, as many predict. However, there is also the possibility of a more shocking turn of events. This list compiles five different ways in which the bout could play out.
#5. Islam Makhachev dominates but fails to find a finish
Alexander Volkanovski is extremely difficult to finish. Brian Ortega, one of the best Brazilian jiu-jitsu specialists in the sport, was unable to finish him despite twice catching him in airtight submissions. No matter who 'The Great' has faced, he has proven notoriously difficult to finish.
Alexander Volkanovski escapes a tight guillotine from Brian Ortega (2021) https://t.co/1JqEbmtQWL
Like Islam Makhachev, Alexander Volkanovski has only ever tasted defeat once. Thus, it is possible that the Australian's well-known toughness might carry him through any damage and finishing sequences that his opponent can muster. While he might be outmatched, he'll survive but drop a unanimous decision loss to his bigger foe.
The Dagestani champion will prove to be too strong and too big. His wrestling and grappling will overpower his foe, especially during clinch sequences where Islam Makhachev's leverage will be vital.
#4. Alexander Volkanovski wins via split-decision
The Australian champion might make the fight much tougher than expected. His stocky stature could prove difficult for the Dagestani phenom when it comes to takedowns. Islam Makhachev is used to shooting for takedowns against opponents who are taller than 'The Great'.
Thus, he will have to perform greater level changes to get in on the hips with takedowns. Unfortunately, the longer level change affords Alexander Volkanovski more time to strengthen his base and sprawl. Additionally, the featherweight titleholder's striking could prove difficult to contend with.
Alexander Volkanovski (-230) maintains his Featherweight belt with a split decision win over Max Halloway 🏆
https://t.co/IBgkpc4whe
The City Kickboxing standout is an expert at neutralizing larger opponents by interrupting them mid-jab with his own jab. Furthermore, he also times his right over his opponent's jab after interrupting them. Also, given Islam Makhachev's consistent use of the jab, he will expose himself to calf kicks.
'The Great' makes liberal use of calf kicks as counter-strikes against a taller opponent who tries to jab him. Every time his foes extend their stance by stepping in with their jabs, he destabilizes their stance with a calf kick before throwing punches over the top. His overall game might earn him a tight split-decision win.
#3. Islam Makhachev wins via submission
It is difficult to explore the extent of Alexander Volkanovski's ground game due to how little time he spends on his back. However, the Australian did have notable slip-ups against Brian Ortega. While the infamous guillotine choke he escaped from came after a knockdown, the triangle choke was different.
Alexander Volkanovski exposes himself to submissions during grappling sequences due to his aggression. Unfortunately, 'T-City' committed a fatal mistake during the triangle choke. Instead of pulling down on the ankle of his hooking leg, he held onto the shin of his hooked leg.
ISLAM MAKHACHEV SUBMITS CHARLES OLIVEIRA 🤯 #UFC280 https://t.co/C7l2vL5HJy
Thus, the triangle choke wasn't as tight as it could have been. Islam Makhachev will make no such mistake. Additionally, the Dagestani grappler possesses a much stronger grip and consequently, a tighter squeeze. His cardio will also enable him to secure submissions without tiring himself the way Brian Ortega did.
As a result, it is likely that 'The Great' could lose via submission, especially if Makhachev opts for judo-based takedowns. This renders it more difficult for Volkanovski to defend takedowns due to his inferior leverage in the clinch from being shorter.
#2. Alexander Volkanovski earns a dominant unanimous decision win
The current featherweight titleholder is an incredible athlete. He is strong, fast and has cardio for days. What Volkanovski does not have is knockout power. While 'The Great' certainly isn't pillow-fisted and can hurt his opponents, he doesn't possess fight-ending punching power.
UFC 276
Alexander Volkanovski vs Max Holloway
What a match
What a win for Alexander Volkanovski
#UFC276 #UFC #UFC276Live https://t.co/oxNdJXKRS2
But what Alexander Volkanovski does possess in spades is speed. The Australian featherweight champion has only grown faster in recent years. His third win against Max Holloway was an exceptional example of the blistering speed of his striking. The Hawaiian great was too slow to adequately react to his foe's offense.
If 'The Great' further improves his speed, he may use his combination of superior striking and quickness to overload his foe. The end result might be a far more convincing win than most might expect. While he'll likely fail to finish the Dagestani grappler, he could certainly do enough to earn a unanimous decision win.
#1. Islam Makhachev wins via TKO
In the aftermath of Islam Makhachev's title-winning victory against Charles Oliveira, Khabib Nurmagomedov previewed their game plan for 'The Great'. According to 'The Eagle', his longtime training partner will make liberal use of knees and a double collar-tie.
The game plan makes perfect sense once Alexander Volkanovski's stature and habits are taken into consideration. The featherweight champion is much shorter than his upcoming foe, rendering it much easier for the Dagestani phenom to land knees in the clinch.
Khabib has a clear message for Alexander Volkanovski
“You must prepare brother “
#UFC280 https://t.co/3cDJe4EvmR
Furthermore, Makhachev possesses greater leverage in the clinch due to his superior height and length. Volkanovski also has a habit of ducking into clinch exchanges. This means his head is always ducking into the path of a potential knee up the middle.
Due to the momentum of his ducking, 'The Great' is essentially facilitating a collision between his chin and his opponent's knee. Against Islam Makhachev, he might pay the price for doing so by suffering a TKO loss.