UFC 294 was capped off in wild fashion, with the main event ending in just minutes. Islam Makhachev solidified his spot as one of the pound-for-pound best in the sport, knocking off Alexander Volkanovski just three minutes into their main event bout.
Islam Makhachev Makes a Statement
The fight looked similar to the first round of their first bout, a close affair with both men finding success. After Volkanovski defended a pair of takedowns, momentum seemed to be in his favor. This was proven wrong in just seconds when Makhachev launched up a left high kick that caught Volkanovski right on the temple. The Australian stumbled back into the cage and was swarmed, eating multiple short shots while not defending against the cage. The ref stopped the contest at 3:06 of the first round.
The win sees Makhachev increase his streak to 13, a current best in the UFC. 13 straight wins ties Khabib and many other legends like Mighty Mouse, GSP, and Max Holloway on all-time UFC win streaks in 3rd place. It also becomes the longest win streak in UFC lightweight history. Makhachev becomes the first man to finish Volkanovski inside of the octagon and left no doubt this time.
Islam talked before the fight about gaining #1 P4P status in the UFC, which becomes much more possible with a win of this magnitude. The win obviously solidifies Makhachev’s name in the record books alongside some of the best of all time, however, the rest of his title run will tell us how far his greatness can go.
As for Alexander Volkanovski, his future lies in his own hands. He says he’ll want to compete in January against Ilia Topuria, but many fans have urged him to take a break following tonight’s loss.
UFC Fighters React to Islam’s Crazy KO
UFC fighters reacted to the head kick knockout of Alexander Volkanovski:
What was your reaction to the KO? Who do you want to see Islam fight next? Let us know in the comments below.
Featured Image Credit to Embed from Getty Images
