UFC featherweight champion Alexander Volkanovski sees his rematch against Islam Makhachev as a high-stakes opportunity for his legacy and believes there is a lot to lose for both fighters, despite the short notice.
Alexander Volkanovski is fully aware of the stakes involved in his upcoming rematch against Islam Makhachev at UFC 294, even if others fail to recognize it. As the current UFC featherweight champion, Volkanovski has accepted the bout on short notice following Charles Oliveira‘s withdrawal, providing him with a chance to claim the lightweight title. Volkanovski lost to Makhachev in a close unanimous decision in February at UFC 284 and has been eagerly seeking a rematch ever since. Despite returning to his featherweight division for a successful title defense against Yair Rodriguez, Volkanovski believes there is still plenty to lose in his pursuit of the lightweight title, dismissing the notion that it is a low-risk, high-reward opportunity.
The pressure weighs heavily on both fighters, with Volkanovski acknowledging the impact this rematch will have on their legacies. Losing to Makhachev would tarnish Volkanovski’s reputation, especially since he is venturing into the lightweight division, a weight class above his own. He emphasizes that there is a lot at stake for both fighters and believes that Makhachev’s legacy would also be negatively affected if he were to lose to a featherweight champion who stepped in on minimal notice. Despite trying to diminish the pressure, Volkanovski admits that there is still a lot to lose for him.
Volkanovski’s legacy at featherweight is already solidified, having defeated top fighters like Jose Aldo and Max Holloway. However, he aims to prove that he can dominate in two divisions and maintain a busy schedule. He was originally expected to defend his featherweight title against Ilia Topuria in January but is determined to prove detractors wrong and demonstrate his ability to hold two divisional belts simultaneously. Although he acknowledges that accepting a featherweight fight on short notice is impractical, he believes that preparing for the lightweight rematch with Makhachev in the same time frame presents an opportunity he can’t pass up.
Furthermore, Volkanovski’s urgency to secure the rematch is intensified by Makhachev’s expressed interest in moving up to welterweight and potentially missing out on the opportunity altogether. This rivalry and the talk surrounding their first fight create added anticipation for the rematch, making it a highly intriguing event for Volkanovski. He insists that regardless of who needed to be replaced, he would have taken the opportunity to save the headliner and pursue his goal of claiming the lightweight title, which would likely lead to another fight against Makhachev.
Ultimately, Volkanovski’s determination to become a two-division champion and secure a rematch against Makhachev fuels his decision to accept this fight on short notice. The significance of the lightweight title and the promise of a future rematch motivate him to seize this opportunity to pursue greatness and solidify his place in the history of the sport.