In front of family and friends, Alexander Volkanovski is looking to prove his “The Great” nickname is more than just that. Already the UFC featherweight champion, Volkanovski wants more gold. He challenges Islam Makhachev for the UFC lightweight title at UFC 284 on February 11 in Perth, Australia.
A 2016 World Championships gold medalist, Makhachev made his pro debut in 2010. Joining the UFC in 2010, Makhachev is on a ten-fight win streak. He last fought in October, beating Charles Oliveira via submission to win the vacant UFC lightweight title.
Makhachev is confident in his ability. That is the case even as he loses his trainer in Khabib Nurmagomedov. A former lightweight champion, Khabib retired from active competition in 2020 and became a dominant coaching figure.
He recently stated he will be significantly reducing his role in traveling and cornering fighters. Still, Makhachev understands.
“I understand him, because he was retired, but he still traveled a lot with the whole team,” Makhachev told Fox Sports Australia, via MMA Junkie. “And when somebody has a fight, he goes to the training camp, went to the other things. And when you retire, you want to spend time with your family. For example, 2022 he spent just two months at home with his family, but all the other time he traveled a lot. That’s why he wants to spend more time with his family.”
Before he left his role, Makhachev did state that Khabib helped him form a game plan.
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Volkanovski turned pro in 2012. Joining the UFC in 2016, he is 12-0 with the promotion. Beating Max Holloway in 2019 for the UFC featherweight title, Volkanovski has defended the belt four times. He is 3-0 against Holloway, his last fight a unanimous decision win in July against the former champion.
Moving up in weight, Volkanovski is the underdog in this bout. He thrives under pressure, and has even stated he feels stronger within the new weight class.
“You can see in his face like, ‘This guy ain’t too big,’” Volkanovski said on the FREESTYLEBENDER YouTube channel, via MMA Junkie. “I’ve seen that on plenty of people’s faces. I’ve seen that on my previous fights – my last four, five fights. But that face quickly changes when I’m in the octagon.
“Give me 10 seconds with him, that face changes real quick. All of a sudden, that size doesn’t matter. All of a sudden my footwork, ‘Where’s this guy at? I’m in a puzzle, he’s already giving drama.’ Then I put my hands on him, there’s another problem. Then they try to grab a hold of me, and I’m a little brick f------ wall. There’s another problem.
The co-main event will see Yair Rodriguez face Josh Emmett for the interim UFC featherweight title. Regardless of what happens in the main event, Volkanovski may end up facing one of these two fighters after.
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Rodriguez turned pro in 2011 and won The Ultimate Fighter: Latin America tournament in 2014. He is 3-2 with one no-contest in his last six fights. In July, Rodriguez beat Brian Ortega via TKO following a shoulder injury to Ortega.
Emmett made his pro debut in 2011. Joining the UFC in 2016, he is currently on a five-fight win streak. In June, Emmett beat Calvin Kattar via split decision.
Here is all you need to know ahead of UFC 284, including time, channel, odds, card, and more.
When is UFC 284: Islam Makhachev vs. Alexander Volkanovski?
- Date: Saturday, February 11 | Sunday, February 12
- FIGHT PASS Prelims: 6:15 p.m. ET | 11:15 p.m. ET GMT | 10:15 a.m. AEDT
- Prelims: 8 p.m. ET | 1 a.m. GMT | 12 p.m. AEDT
- Main card: 10 p.m. ET | 3 a.m. GMT | 2 p.m. AEDT
- Main event: 12:15 a.m. ET | 5:15 a.m. GMT | 4:15 p.m. AEDT (approximately)
UFC 284 takes place on February 11.
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The FIGHT PASS prelims begin at 6:15 p.m. ET | 11:15 p.m. ET GMT | 10:15 a.m. AEDT, while the regular prelims start at 8 p.m. ET | 1 a.m. GMT | 12 p.m. AEDT. The main card starts at 10 p.m. ET | 3 a.m. GMT | 2 p.m. AEDT.
Makhachev and Volkanovski should make their way to the octagon around 12:15 a.m. ET | 5:15 a.m. GMT | 4:15 p.m. AEDT, depending on how long the undercard fights last.
How to watch UFC 284: Islam Makhachev vs. Alexander Volkanovski?
| Country | Date | Channel + Live Stream (main card) |
| United States | Sat. Feb. 11 | ESPN+, ESPN PPV |
| Canada | Sat. Feb. 11 | BELL, Rogers, Shaw, SaskTel, Videotron, Telus, Eastlink, UFC PPV on UFC Fight Pass |
| United Kingdom | Sun. Feb. 12 | BT Sport |
| Australia | Sun. Feb. 12 | Main Event, Kayo Sports, Fetch TV, UFC PPV on UFC Fight Pass |
The main card for UFC 284 is available in the U.S. and Mexico on the ESPN+ subscription streaming service for a pay-per-view cost. Earlier fights are viewable live on ESPN+.
In Canada, the main card pay-per-view is available on BELL, Rogers, Shaw, SaskTel, Videotron, Telus, Eastlink, and UFC PPV on UFC Fight Pass
In the United Kingdom, the main card will be available on BT Sport, with the prelims available on UFC Fight Pass.
In Australia, the main card will be on Main Event, Kayo Sports, Fetch TV, and UFC PPV on UFC Fight Pass.
Islam Makhachev vs. Alexander Volkanovski PPV price: How much does UFC 284 cost?
- $79.99 (current ESPN+ subscribers)
- $124.98 (new subscribers)
MORE: Sign up to watch the UFC 284 PPV, exclusively on ESPN+
In the U.S., the UFC 284 main card is available via pay-per-view on ESPN+, which also requires a subscription. The PPV price for UFC 284 is $79.99 for current subscribers. New subscribers can pay a bundle price of $124.98 for the UFC 284 pay-per-view and an ESPN+ annual subscription, which offers savings of more than 30 percent.
| Product | Prices |
|---|---|
| ESPN+ Monthly Subscription | $9.99/month |
| ESPN+ Annual Subscription | $99.99/year |
| The Disney Bundle w/Hulu Ad-Supported | $12.99/month |
| The Disney Bundle w/Hulu No-Ads | $19.99/month |
| UFC PPV Standalone | $79.99 each |
| UFC PPV Package (UFC PPV & ESPN+ Annual) | $124.98, then $99.99/year |
| UFC PPV & The Disney Bundle | $79.99, then $12.99/month |
Click here to learn about the different pricing and bundling options with the ESPN+ platform.
Where is UFC 284?
UFC 284 takes place inside RAC Arena in Perth, Australia. The arena can hold up to 15,500 people.
Islam Makhachev vs. Alexander Volkanovski odds for UFC 284
Per Bet MGM, Islam Makhachev is the -400 favorite, while Alexander Volkanovski is the +300 underdog.
In Canada, per Sports Interaction, Makhachev is the -345 favorite, while Volkanovski is the +250 underdog.
Australia bookmaker Ladbrokes has Makhachev priced at $1.25, while Volkanovski is $4.
Yair Rodriguez vs. Josh Emmett odds for UFC 284
Per Bet MGM, Yair Rodriguez is the -165 favorite, while Josh Emmett is the +140 underdog.
In Canada, per Sports Interaction, Rodriguez is the -160 favorite, while Emmett is the +125 underdog.
Australia bookmaker Ladbrokes has Rodriguez priced at $1.36, while Emmett is is $2.35.
MORE: How to bet on combat sports
Islam Makhachev record, bio
- Nationality: Russian
- Born: Sept. 7, 1991
- Height: 5-10
- Reach: 70.5 inches
- Total fights: 24
- Record: 23-1 (four KOs, 11 wins via submission)
Alexander Volkanovski record, bio
- Nationality: Australian
- Born: Sept. 29, 1988
- Height: 5-6
- Reach: 71 inches
- Total fights: 26
- Record: 25-1 with 12 wins via knockout
Yair Rodriguez record, bio
- Nationality: Mexican
- Born: Oct. 6, 1992
- Height: 5-11
- Reach: 71 inches
- Total fights: 17
- Record: 14-3 with 1 no-contest, 5 wins via knockout
Josh Emmett record and bio
- Nationality: American
- Born: March 4, 1985
- Height: 5-6
- Reach: 70 inches
- Total fights: 20
- Record: 18-2 with 6 wins via knockout
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UFC 284 fight card
Main card
- Islam Makhachev (c) vs. Alexander Volkanovski for the UFC lightweight title
- Yair Rodriguez vs. Josh Emmett for the interim UFC featherweight title
- Jack Della Maddalena vs. Randy Brown; Welterweights
- Justin Tafa vs. Parker Porter; Heavyweights
- Jimmy Crute vs. Alonzo Menifield; Light Heavyweights
Prelims
- Tyson Pedro vs. Modestas Bukauskas; Light Heavyweights
- Joshua Culibao vs. Melsik Baghdasaryan; Featherweights
- Shannon Ross vs. Kleydson Rodrigues; Flyweights
- Jamie Mullarkey vs. Francisco Prado; Lightweights
FIGHT PASS Prelims
- Loma Lookboonmee vs. Elise Reed; Strawweights
- Jack Jenkins vs. Don Shainis; Featherweights
- Zubaira Tukhugov vs. Elves Brenner; Lightweights
- Shane Young vs. Blake Bilder; Featherweights
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