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The top two pound-for-pound fighters in the UFC went to war on Saturday night as lightweight king Islam Makhachev put his belt on the line against featherweight champion Alexander Volkanovski at UFC 284. And Makhachev came out on top in Perth, Australia.
The two men went to war for five classic rounds, and both combatants found success during the 25 minutes, dropping the other and showing their championship mettle. A lot of questions were answered in the headliner. Makhachev had the ability to take Volkanovski to the mat, but The Great also had the skill and strength to get back to his feet at times, as well as fend off takedowns.
At the end of the match, Makhachev was awarded the win via unanimous decision (48-47, 48-47, 49-46).
With the victory, Makhachev improved his win streak to 12 — the longest active run in the promotion — and his professional mixed martial arts record to 24-1. For Volkanovski, his 12-fight Octagon streak was snapped and his record fell to 25-2.
Nate Diaz, Henry Cejudo & Others Reacted to the UFC 284 Main Event
Here are some Twitter reactions from those in the MMA community:
Former UFC bantamweight and flyweight champion Henry Cejudo tweeted: “Respect @MAKHACHEVMMA @alexvolkanovski. That was one of the most competitive fights in the history of the sport.”
MMA icon Nate Diaz tweeted: “Yeah right Islam got his a** whooped.”
When someone asked former UFC heavyweight and light heavyweight champion Daniel Cormier to “explain the 49-46” scorecard, “DC” replied: “That was a bad scorecard. 3-2 Volk lost nothing tonight. He fought better than anyone thought he could. He is as good as anyone at any weight in the world. Great fight overall.”
“The MMA Hour” host Ariel Helwani tweeted: “Wow. What an end. Volk wins the last round decisively. Was it enough? Holy smokes. This is wild stuff. Regardless of what happens here, Volk’s stock goes up.”
TSN’s Aaron Bronsteter wrote: “I have it 48-47 Volkanovski, but this could easily go the other way. Incredible fight that absolutely felt like best versus best. We are all blessed to have watched that great battle.”
“I don’t think I’ve ever wanted a sixth round more in my life,” ESPN’s Brett Okamoto wrote.
“FYI, I don’t think that was a robbery or anywhere close,” MMA bettor Luca Fury tweeted. “That decision was extremely competitive and it comes down to round 2. Seems most scored or for Volkanovski but I can see an argument for Makhachev. That said, 4-1 is a terrible score.”
Reactions Continued to Pour In
Xtreme Couture coach Eric Nicksick tweeted: “Great win for Islam! But the storyline for me; Volk set a standard tonight, and a reminder, to never fear to strive for greatness.”
MMA Fighting’s Eric Jackman wrote: “My assessment of P4P is not just a resume conversation. It should also factor in overall skillset with physical attributes being equalized. Alexander Volkanovski is still my No. 1 P4P after that performance.”
Former interim UFC lightweight title contender Kevin Lee tweeted: “Congratulations Islam #1 P4P fighter hats off.”
BT Sport’s Chamatkar Sandhu tweeted: “Islam Makhachev vs. Alexander Volkanovski was one of the best examples of what the highest level of MMA is all about. The real fight fans won tonight. I’d love to see them run it back one day. I’m in awe of both men.”
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