Israel Adesanya expects Alexander Volkanovskito be able to handle Islam Makhachev’s strength.
Featherweight champion Volkanovski (25-1 MMA, 12-0 UFC) will move up a weight class to challenge lightweight champ Makhachev (23-1 MMA, 12-1 UFC) in the UFC 284 main event Feb. 11 at RAC Arena in Perth, Australia.
Although Volkanovski, the UFC’s No. 1 pound-for-pound fighter, hasn’t lost in the octagon, Makhachev currently is a sizable betting favorite due to the dominant nature of his grappling style. But because Volkanovski competed all the way up at welterweight early in his career, his training partner Adesanya says he’s stronger than he looks.
“ Volk used to be a fat guy,” Adesanya said on the FLAGRANT podcast. “Like, big boy, brolly, played rugby. When you walk around with that kind of body mass for years, you develop a different kind of muscle density. Even with Volk, I’ve tried to hold him down. I’m not the greatest wrestler, but even with my frame and my leverage, it’s hard to hold him down. He finds his way back up – a crafty veteran. His inside leg kick, his jabs, his hand control, all that sh*t – he’s crafty.
“ Islam is great. These (Dagestani) boys, they know what they’re doing. They have their own pedigree and they’re great. I’m biased – of course I’m going to say that because that’s my boy. But I truly, gun to my head, I could bet my whole house on him. Volk is just different. Volk is just the kind of guy – even when he cuts weight, the amount he cuts, for him to have the cardio he has in the later rounds, it’s mind-blowing. The man’s different.”
Makhachev dominated Charles Oliveira en route to a second-round submission to capture the lightweight title at UFC 280. Volkanovski picked up arguably his biggest win when he shut out Max Holloway in their trilogy bout at UFC 276.
Good thing for him he can’t actually legally bet on it now or else he’d be homeless after
What islam wins here beating smaller man? Khabib probably suggested him to fight Volk 
He beats a fellow champion and the #1 P4P fighter in the world
How is this any different from the last super fights we wanted?
GSP v. Silva
Silva v. JBJ
JBJ v. Cain
So Izzy has lost his title and now he wants to lose his house
This. Not sure why people are hating on this match up when its what we have always wanted with some of these other legacy champions.
I think Islam wins but I love the match up
I wouldn’t even bet a dollar on Volk beating Islam
Big bet will be big reward
If Volk is +600 and up I’d consider betting.
But I reckon the odds would be prob be +270 volk
No way possible that Islam doesn’t easily control him on the ground.
I respectfully disagree. I can see Volk winning this by KO
I like Volk but he hasn’t knocked someone out since Chad Mendes in 2018
He gets little to nothing. Weight classes exist for a reason, and ultimately he wins a fight he should, defending his title against a guy who fights at a lower weight class.
Truth is this fight is really all about Volk. His achievements at FW are the only reason this fight is happening and he is the one who can really gain something if he wins. Volk is the only one fighting for two belts, and would be fighting the LW champion regardless of who it was.
Islam will be ranked p4p #1 by the UFC after he beats Volk.
Fake faggot rankings
Good prediction by Izzy. Volk beat that ass