According to Alexander Volkanovski, Islam Makhachev might think he lost the UFC 284 fight.
Volkanovski attended the UFC 284 post-fight news conference after a spectacular back-and-forth contest against Makhachev. The Dagestani fighter believed he had lost the bout, and at one point “The Great” claimed he overheard someone suggest that Makhachev had requested a rematch:
“I believe he was stating, though I could be mistaken, that he was returning to his corner and requesting a rematch because he had lost. That’s amusing, then. I’ll take advantage of that rematch.”
Makhachev refuted Volk’s claims when it was his turn to speak at the news conference.
“That is untrue. I never claim to lose. I had it in my head that I will have won at least three rounds when the fight is over. I never say I [lost].”
The main event of UFC 284 featured a contestant for Fight of the Year between Alexander Volkanovski and Islam Makhachev. Against a skilled fighter like Makhachev, Volkanovski shown his ability to compete in the grappling department. In terms of striking, the lightweight champion performed admirably.
Both combatants had significant moments in the closely contested contest. The Dagestani ultimately won by unanimous decision, with the scores of 48-47, 48-47, and 49-46 going in Makhachev’s favour from the three judges.
Both competitors earned a second check for $50,000 apiece when the match was named the Fight of the Night.
Alexander Volkanovski reflects on his fight at UFC 284
Alexander Volkanovski feels that he committed a few errors that might have prevented him from defeating Islam Makhachev for the lightweight championship at UFC 284. The Great was asked if there was anything he would have done differently in the bout during a backstage interview with Brett Okamoto.
In response, Alexander Volkanovski expressed regret for not having supported his abilities more. The Great noted that he didn’t fully employ his abilities since he might be placed in an awkward situation:
There are numerous things. Again, especially now that you understand what I mean when I say that I am supporting myself, there have been instances when I have even said in my defence, “Oh, he’s not strong.” Not even strong, he is. Let’s leave now. He might be luring me in. You get what I’m saying? I therefore showed him respect. I still supported his abilities and stuff. He was stronger than I anticipated, in a weird way. In the first week, I tried to convey this to everyone. Therefore, I didn’t try hard enough to do things just in case doing so would place me in a worse situation. I’m annoyed with myself because of this.
