The UFC 284
main event was billed as a battle of the sport’s pound-for-pound
best, and it more than lived up to the hype.
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After five competitive rounds, Islam
Makhachev emerged with a hard-fought unanimous decision triumph
over 145-pound champ Alexander
Volkanovski to retain his lightweight crown. Perhaps more
importantly, the Dagestan native believes he can rightfully assume
his place as the No. 1 fighter in all of MMA.
“Doesn’t matter how I won today. Now, I’m not just the champion,
I’m the best fighter in the world,” Makhachev said at Saturday’s
post-fight press conference. “I’m very happy. Now people are going
to call me not just champ, but best fighter in the world. This is
my dream. It doesn’t matter how I won. I’m very happy. … Now, I’m
the best fighter and champion.
While many expected Makhachev to impose his will on Volkanovski due
to his size advantage, that was never the case. Volkanovski held
his own in all aspects of the fight, and more than a few observers
felt that the Aussie deserved the nod on the scorecards. When
speaking to media, Volkanovski claimed that Makhachev acknowledged
that he deserved to win the fight in the aftermath, but the
lightweight champ refuted that statement.
“I didn’t say that,” Makhachev said. “I know in my mind, when the
fight was finished, I know minimum I won three rounds. I didn’t say
I lost nothing.”
Volkanovski was by far the most difficult challenge for Makhachev
during a 12-fight winning streak in which he has largely
overwhelmed the majority of his opposition. That was exactly what
he was looking for when he called out the City Kickboxing
representative after claiming the lightweight title at UFC 280 last
year.
“It was a hard fight with Volkanovski because of many things,”
Makhachev said. “I come from another country, more than 13,000
kilometers from my country, I come with my team, and the time is
changed, and we come to the arena early morning, many things. But I
don’t prepare myself for easy fights.
“We fight not for the belt, but for who is going to be the best
fighter in the world. That’s why it was a hard fight.”
Makhachev’s spot in the pound-for-pound rankings could be tenuous,
not only because of a contentious win over Volkanovski, but because
Jon
Jones — a former pound-for-pound No. 1 — is set to return at
UFC 285. If Jones defeats Ciryl Gane
to claim the vacant heavyweight throne, there’s a solid case that
he regains that status he once held. Makhachev doesn’t necessarily
agree.
“Jon
Jones is a great fighter,” Makhachev said. “He is the best, but
last time he won a split decision, he always has a hard fight. I
don’t know, I don’t think after this fight he’s going to be the
best, because why am I the best right now? Because I beat the best
fighter in the world. That’s why I think I deserve this more and if
somebody wants to be the best, I am ready.”