Alexander Volkanovski Stephen R. Sylvanie-USA TODAY Sports

Latest win likely earns Volkanovski rematch with Islam Makhachev

By Michael Gallagher | Last updated 7/10/23

The only blemish on Alexander Volkanovski’s UFC resume is the highly-debated unanimous decision loss to lightweight champion Islam Makhachev in February.

And after Volkanovski’s dominating third-round TKO win over Yair Rodriguez at UFC 290 on Saturday, president Dana White sees no reason why he should deny the undisputed featherweight champion his rematch with Makhachev.

“He’s at one of those places in his career that whatever he wants to do, what are you going to say?” White told reporters at the UC 290 post-fight press conference. “This guy has literally proven himself a million times. Many people believe he won the Islam fight. Whatever he wants to do, we’ll probably roll with it.”

"I GUARANTEE I get my hand raised": Alexander Volkanovski promises to dethrone Islam Makhachev in a lightweight title rematch.#UFC290 | Full video: https://t.co/5ZbZ83or3N pic.twitter.com/lht3JCX0An
— MMA Junkie (@MMAJunkie) July 9, 2023

Volkanovski (26-2) has not shied away from his desire to get another crack at Makhachev (24-1).

He—along with many other MMA pundits and fans—believes he actually won the first fight, and the numbers would seem to indicate he has a valid argument.

Per UFC Stats, Volkanovski out-struck Makhachev in Rounds 1, 4 and 5, and he held the edge in total strikes landed (164 to 95), significant strikes landed (70 to 57), head strikes landed (37 to 36), body strikes landed (21 to 18), leg strikes landed (12 to three), ground strikes landed (six to zero) and knockdowns (one to zero).

Should Volkanovski get his rematch and win, he would become just the ninth fighter in UFC history to win championships in two divisions.

“We all know I want that lightweight belt,” Volkanovski said at the UFC 290 post-fight press conference. “We all know I want that rematch. I want that Islam fight. I think not only for me to get that belt, to get that win back, but I think it is a massive fight for the UFC as well. I think it’s a fight everyone wants to see. It was literally that type of fight. It was that close. … He lived up to the hype, I lived up to the hype and that fight lived up to the hype. We just need to see [Rounds] 5 to 10.”

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