Islam Makhachev, the UFC Lightweight Champion, Surprises Alexander Volkanovski with a Gift Before His Big Title Match at UFC 298

In a recent match at UFC 294, Islam Makhachev, a talented fighter from Russia, took on Alexander Volkanovski, the UFC featherweight champion. In an intense bout, Makhachev managed to knock out Volkanovski in round one, handing him his first knockout loss in the UFC.

This fight was actually supposed to be against Charles Oliviera, the former UFC lightweight champion. However, Oliviera got injured during his training camp, which opened the door for Volkanovski to step in and take on Makhachev on short notice.

After the match, both fighters showed great sportsmanship. They even had lunch together, proving that rivalry in the octagon doesn’t always mean animosity outside of it.

Now, Volkanovski is preparing for his next fight, where he’ll be defending his featherweight title against Ilia Topuria, another talented fighter. But before this fight, Volkanovski had a funny encounter with his daughter, Ariana.

Ariana asked her father, “What if someone broke into our home?” To which Volkanovski confidently replied, “I’m a world champion. I’ll handle it.”

But then Ariana joked, “What if the man breaking in is Islam Makhachev?” This playful interaction has since gone viral.

Interestingly, Makhachev later sent gifts to Volkanovski’s daughters to reassure them that he’s a good guy. Volkanovski shared this on Instagram, appreciating Makhachev’s gesture and his sportsmanship.

This story shows that even in the competitive world of mixed martial arts, there can still be moments of kindness and humor.

Summary:

  • Islam Makhachev became the UFC lightweight champion by knocking out Alexander Volkanovski at UFC 294.
  • The fight was supposed to be against Charles Oliviera, but he got injured, and Volkanovski stepped in on short notice.
  • After the fight, Volkanovski will defend his UFC featherweight title against Ilia Topuria.
  • Volkanovski’s youngest daughter Ariana playfully joked about Makhachev breaking into their home, and Makhachev responded with gifts, showing his sportsmanship.
  • This story proves that even in intense competitions, there can be moments of humor and kindness.

Alexander Volkanovski UFC record

1. UFC 298: Volkanovski vs. Topuria

– Date: Feb. 17, 2024

– Result: Loss

– Opponent: Ilia Topuria

– Method: Not Specified

 

2. UFC 294: Islam Makhachev vs. Volkanovski 2

– Date: Oct. 21, 2023

– Result: Loss (KO/TKO)

– Opponent: Islam Makhachev

– Method: Kick; Round 1, 3:06

 

3. UFC 290: Volkanovski vs. Rodriguez

– Date: Jul. 08, 2023

– Result: Win (KO/TKO)

– Opponent: Yair Rodriguez

– Method: Punches; Round 3, 4:19

 

4. UFC 284: Makhachev vs. Volkanovski

– Date: Feb. 11, 2023

– Result: Loss (Unanimous Decision)

– Opponent: Islam Makhachev

– Method: U-DEC (Unanimous Decision); 5 rounds

5. UFC 276: Adesanya vs. Cannonier

– Date: Jul. 02, 2022

– Result: Win (Unanimous Decision)

– Opponent: Max Holloway

– Method: U-DEC (Unanimous Decision); 5 rounds

 

6. UFC 273: Volkanovski vs. The Korean Zombie

– Date: Apr. 09, 2022

– Result: Win (KO/TKO)

– Opponent: Chan Sung Jung

– Method: Punches; Round 4, 0:45

 

7. UFC 266: Volkanovski vs. Ortega

– Date: Sep. 25, 2021

– Result: Win (Unanimous Decision)

– Opponent: Brian Ortega

– Method: U-DEC (Unanimous Decision); 5 rounds

 

8. UFC 251: Usman vs. Masvidal

– Date: Jul. 11, 2020

– Result: Win (Split Decision)

– Opponent: Max Holloway

– Method: S-DEC (Split Decision); 5 rounds

 

9. UFC 245: Usman vs. Covington

– Date: Dec. 14, 2019

– Result: Win (Unanimous Decision)

– Method: U-DEC (Unanimous Decision); 5 rounds

 

10. UFC 237: Namajunas vs. Andrade

– Date: May. 11, 2019

– Result: Win (Unanimous Decision)

– Opponent: Jose Aldo