UFC featherweight champion Alexander Volkanovski says his first bout against lightweight champion Islam Makhachev remains the most memorable fight of his career, even though it ended in defeat.
Volkanovski (28-4 MMA, 15-3 UFC) challenged Makhachev (28-1 MMA, 17-1 UFC) for the lightweight title at UFC 284 in February 2023, coming up short in a closely contested five-round decision. Despite the loss, the Australian star now views the fight as a defining moment.
Speaking in a video posted to his YouTube channel, Volkanovski explained why that matchup stands above the rest.
“My favorite fight? It's a good question… you’d think my favorite fight would be a win but it's not. It's the Islam (number one),” Volkanovski said.
He pointed to the unprecedented atmosphere surrounding the event as a key factor.
“When we did the press conferences and weigh-ins that day, everything got postponed… they could open the curtains to fit more people in. I don't even know if that's ever happened. That's what type of level of hype it was at.”
Beyond the spectacle, Volkanovski emphasized the technical depth of the contest, which featured two of the sport’s top pound-for-pound fighters pushing each other to their limits.
“We were able to just go out there and give it our all… it was pound-for-pound number one (versus) number two,” he said. “We showed them all the skill sets, from grappling, wrestling, striking… aggressive offense, angles, you name it.”
Volkanovski noted that both fighters were forced into unfamiliar territory, elevating the quality of the bout.
“You just don't get a chance to see that… Islam was an opponent that had to make me use more of my layers. And I was an opponent that had to make Islam use more of his layers.”
He added that the constant adjustments and exchanges made the fight uniquely satisfying.
“We’d get back up… and just take each other further and further down those layers, which was just awesome and I loved it.”
Volkanovski and Makhachev met again in October 2023, but the rematch ended decisively, with Makhachev scoring a first-round knockout.
Still, it’s their first encounter that Volkanovski believes will endure.
“That fight would have to be the best one for me,” he said. “I just absolutely loved it… I think it'll be one for everyone to remember.”
