Islam Makhachev walked into one of the most intense atmospheres in UFC history Saturday as champion. When he left, the belt came with him.
In front of a rowdy RAC Arena full of passionate fans who cheered on his opponent Alexander Volkanovski (25-2 MMA, 12-1 UFC), the promotion’s lightweight champion Makhachev (24-1 MMA, 13-1 UFC) retained his title via unanimous decision (48-47, 48-47, 49-46). The bout served as the UFC 284 main event in Perth, Australia.
Saturday’s fight matched the UFC-ranked No. 1 and No. 2 pound-for-pound fighters in the world against each other – a rare happening. Volkanovski, the UFC featherweight champion, elevated to 155 pounds and served as UFC lightweight champion Makhachev’s first title defense.