UFC 284: Makhachev vs. Volkanovski  11 Feb 2023 · RAC Arena, Perth, Western Australia, Australia, AU

Islam Makhachev defeats Alexander Volkanovski by Decision - Unanimous

Win Islam Makhachev 24-1-0
Loss Alexander Volkanovski 25-3-0
Watch the fight
Decision - Unanimous

Round 5 · 5:00

Makhachev vs Volkanovski — Lightweight Title · UFC 284: Makhachev vs. Volkanovski

Predictions summary

What happened

The result, the defining moments, and what the verdict means.

Makhachev showed his striking through the first three rounds while using takedowns and control to support his case.

Volkanovski had success of his own and defended Makhachev's takedown attempts.

Volkanovski rallied in the final frame, but Makhachev received the unanimous decision.

Pre-fight analysis — how we saw it going in

Case for Makhachev

Makhachev's advantage was the ability to blend southpaw striking into takedown attempts and force Volkanovski to solve both the open-space exchanges and the fence scrambles.

Case for Volkanovski

Volkanovski's path was movement, feints and layered counters: make Makhachev reach, deny the first control sequence and turn the champion's failed entries into high-volume striking rounds.

What We Were Watching For

  • Whether Makhachev could secure control without giving up clean counters.
  • How Volkanovski's footwork changed the champion's shot selection.
  • Which fighter owned the late championship-round scrambles.
Records & career stats
Makhachev vs Volkanovski
Makhachev Volkanovski
  1. OutputSig. strikes landed / min 2.27 5.99
  2. Striking def.Striking defense 61% 59%
  3. DurabilitySig. strikes absorbed / min 1.42 3.31
  4. Takedown def.Takedown defense 91% 69%
  5. FinishingFinish rate 67% 57%
23-1-0
Record
25-2-0
8-0 last 8
Recent formRecent formWin–loss record over the fighter’s last five bouts, newest first, as carried in their UFC/FightMetric career stats.
3-2 last 5
Russia
Nationality
Australia
34
Age
37
1.78 m
Height — Makhachev leads
1.68 m
179 cm
Reach — Volkanovski leads
181 cm
Southpaw
StanceStanceWhich side a fighter leads from — a striking term, not a religious one. Orthodox: right-handed, left foot and hand forward (the common default). Southpaw: the mirror image, right side forward (usually a left-hander). Switch: changes between the two during a fight.
Orthodox
67%
Finish rateFinish % — Makhachev leadsFinish rateThe share of a fighter’s wins that ended inside the distance — by KO/TKO or submission — rather than going to the judges’ scorecards. Higher means more finishes.
57%
5
Wins by KO/TKOKO wins — Volkanovski leads
13
13
Wins by submissionSub wins — Makhachev leads
3
2.27
Sig. strikes landed / minStr / min — Volkanovski leadsSignificant strikes landed per minuteAverage number of significant strikes a fighter lands for every minute of fight time — a read on striking output and pace. From UFC/FightMetric career stats.
5.99
1.42
Sig. strikes absorbed / minAbs / min — Makhachev leadsSignificant strikes absorbed per minuteAverage number of significant strikes a fighter takes for every minute of fight time. Lower is better — it means they get hit less often. From UFC/FightMetric career stats.
3.31
61%
Striking defenseStrike def.Striking defenseThe percentage of opponents’ significant strikes that do not land — strikes slipped, blocked or evaded. Higher is better. Not the same as striking accuracy, which counts your own strikes that land. From UFC/FightMetric.
59%
91%
Takedown defenseTD def. — Makhachev leadsTakedown defenseThe percentage of opponents’ takedown attempts that are stuffed. Higher means harder to put on the mat. From UFC/FightMetric.
69%
11:45
Avg. fight timeAvg. timeAverage fight timeThe mean length of the fighter’s bouts (minutes:seconds) — a rough read on whether they tend to finish early or go the distance. From UFC/FightMetric.
16:50
Lightweight
Weight classWeight
Featherweight (moving up)
AKA (American Kickboxing Academy) San Jose
Team
Freestyle Fighting Gym

Career stats per UFC.com; recent form is each fighter's last five bouts. Record is as of fight night; career stats, recent form and win totals are the latest on file and may include this fight. Bars compare each stat on a fixed scale; the “Edge” marker flags the leading corner where the gap is meaningful. The snapshot plots five career rates — output, striking defense, durability (strikes absorbed, inverted), takedown defense and finish rate — each normalised on its own scale.

Videos

Outcome footage, post-fight coverage, and the pre-fight lead-up.

Before the fight (2)

Comments

Comments are currently closed while we finish moderation and privacy controls.

Who Called It?

How the analysts' picks held up once the cage door closed.

TheWeasle
Hear it — 15:08

Current pick evidence

Picked: Islam Makhachev

Fight result: Islam Makhachev · Decision - Unanimous

TheWeasle transcript pick: Islam Makhachev (winner only).

Analyst track record Track record countsWinner counts resolved calls. Method and Round count only after a correct winner call. Underdog counts picks for a strict underdog in frozen pre-fight odds.Methodology

  • Winner Accuracy 70.6% 115 48
  • Method Accuracy 61.8% 47 29
  • Round Accuracy 36.5% 19 33
  • Underdog Accuracy 52.9% 9 8
View full track record (163 calls)
The MMA Guru
Hear it — 29:50

Current pick evidence

Picked: Islam Makhachev

Fight result: Islam Makhachev · Decision - Unanimous

The MMA Guru transcript pick: Islam Makhachev (winner only).

Analyst track record Track record countsWinner counts resolved calls. Method and Round count only after a correct winner call. Underdog counts picks for a strict underdog in frozen pre-fight odds.Methodology

  • Winner Accuracy 65.9% 203 105
  • Method Accuracy 52.8% 57 51
  • Round Accuracy 32.4% 12 25
  • Underdog Accuracy 47.2% 17 19
View full track record (308 calls)
MMA Lock of the Night
Hear it — 81:37

Current pick evidence

Picked: Alexander Volkanovski

Fight result: Islam Makhachev · Decision - Unanimous

MMA Lock of the Night transcript pick: Alexander Volkanovski (winner only).

Analyst track record Track record countsWinner counts resolved calls. Method and Round count only after a correct winner call. Underdog counts picks for a strict underdog in frozen pre-fight odds.Methodology

  • Winner Accuracy 73.7% 73 26
  • Method Accuracy 54.8% 17 14
  • Round Accuracy 40.0% 2 3
  • Underdog Accuracy 50.0% 6 6
View full track record (99 calls)

Analyst picks: MMA Lock of the Night Miss; TheWeasle Hit; The MMA Guru Hit.

Analyst prediction scorecards
Expand row
MMA Lock of the Night99 resolved calls
MMA Lock of the Night
Hear it — 81:37

Current pick evidence

Picked: Alexander Volkanovski

Fight result: Islam Makhachev · Decision - Unanimous

MMA Lock of the Night transcript pick: Alexander Volkanovski (winner only).

Analyst track record Track record countsWinner counts resolved calls. Method and Round count only after a correct winner call. Underdog counts picks for a strict underdog in frozen pre-fight odds.Methodology

  • Winner Accuracy 73.7% 73 26
  • Method Accuracy 54.8% 17 14
  • Round Accuracy 40.0% 2 3
  • Underdog Accuracy 50.0% 6 6
View full track record (99 calls)
Volkanovski · to winMakhachev · Decision - Unanimous R5MissNot applicable — the winner call missedNot applicable — the winner call missed
TheWeasle163 resolved calls
TheWeasle
Hear it — 15:08

Current pick evidence

Picked: Islam Makhachev

Fight result: Islam Makhachev · Decision - Unanimous

TheWeasle transcript pick: Islam Makhachev (winner only).

Analyst track record Track record countsWinner counts resolved calls. Method and Round count only after a correct winner call. Underdog counts picks for a strict underdog in frozen pre-fight odds.Methodology

  • Winner Accuracy 70.6% 115 48
  • Method Accuracy 61.8% 47 29
  • Round Accuracy 36.5% 19 33
  • Underdog Accuracy 52.9% 9 8
View full track record (163 calls)
Makhachev · to winMakhachev · Decision - Unanimous R5HitNot calledNot called
The MMA Guru308 resolved calls
The MMA Guru
Hear it — 29:50

Current pick evidence

Picked: Islam Makhachev

Fight result: Islam Makhachev · Decision - Unanimous

The MMA Guru transcript pick: Islam Makhachev (winner only).

Analyst track record Track record countsWinner counts resolved calls. Method and Round count only after a correct winner call. Underdog counts picks for a strict underdog in frozen pre-fight odds.Methodology

  • Winner Accuracy 65.9% 203 105
  • Method Accuracy 52.8% 57 51
  • Round Accuracy 32.4% 12 25
  • Underdog Accuracy 47.2% 17 19
View full track record (308 calls)
Makhachev · to winMakhachev · Decision - Unanimous R5HitNot calledNot called

2 of 3 nailed it.

The experts above are a lens, not credentials we conferred — analyst, fighter or betting desk.

No AI predictions are available for this fight yet.

No market odds are available for this fight yet.

Independent fan-made fight recap. Not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by the UFC or any other MMA promotion. Analysis is editorial opinion, not betting advice. Fighter names and records are used for commentary. Image credits · Methodology · Privacy · Terms.