There have only been four simultaneous double champions in UFC history. Alexander Volkanovski is looking to be number five. The UFC featherweight champion steps up in weight to challenge Islam Makhachev for the UFC lightweight title at UFC 284 on February 11.
UFC 284 will be inside the RAC Center in Volkanovski's backyard in Perth, Australia.
Makhachev is a former combat sambo world champion who made his pro debut in 2010. He made his UFC debut in 2015. Makhachev has won 11 in a row, his last fight a submission win against Charles Oliveira at UFC 280 to win the lightweight title.
Makhachev has won five fights in a row via some form of submission or knockout. However, his coach believes the fight should go the distance, like five of Volkanovski's last six bouts.
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“I expect at the end of the day Islam Makhachev is going to be pound-for-pound the best fighter in the UFC or in the world,” Javier Mendez told Helen Yee, via MMA Junkie. “After he beats Alex, which I’m expecting him to do, but not like people are thinking, like any kind of finish. I don’t like that. It’s going to be a five-round war.”
Volkanovski, a former rugby player, made his pro debut in 2012. After losing the fourth fight of his career, Volkanovski has gone on a 22-fight win streak. Volkanovski's 12-0 in the UFC since joining the organization in 2016. In 2019 at UFC 245, Volkanovski beat Max Holloway for the UFC featherweight title. He would beat Holloway in a controversial rematch at UFC 251 in 2020. In his last fight in July 2022, Volkanovski beat Holloway in a trilogy bout.
Makhachev is a dangerous wrestler and is the favorite in this fight. However, Volkanovski wants people to know that he shouldn’t be dismissed so easily.
"Everyone is saying that [this fight] 'it's different, it's different,' but I'm different," Volkanovski told ESPN. "People are going to say this and say that, he's a great fighter, and I give him a lot of props. But I'm not just your ordinary fighter that is going to do what everyone else does, I do things differently, I prepare differently, and that's going to be the difference, people are really going to see that fight time anyway.”
Besides a title on the line, Makhachev and Holloway are looking to earn a big paycheck for their fight. Here's how much the two have made in their careers and how it could affect their purse at UFC 284.
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Islam Makhachev vs. Alexander Volkanovski fight purse, prize money
The official UFC 284 purse has not yet been released. Previous payouts for Makhachev and Volkanovski could help provide insight how much they will earn.
In his UFC debut in 2015 against Leo Kuntz, Makhachev took home $20,000, per The Sports Daily. He saw a significant increase in salary in 2019 when Makhachev took home $109,000 against Arman Tsarukyan. Against Charles Oliveira at UFC 280, when he won the UFC lightweight title, Makhachev made about $500,000, per Total Sportal.
Per The Sports Daily, in his UFC debut against Yusuke Kasuya, Volkanovski took home $22,500. When he beat Holloway for the UFC featherweight title in 2019, Volkanovski earned $280,000. In the rematch, Volkanovski earned $390,000.
Per the UFC 276 UFC Promotional Guidelines Compliance payouts provided by MMA Junkie, Volkanovski made about $42,000 in his last fight, a trilogy bout against Holloway. Per MMA Salaries, Volkanovski took home $500,000.
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What is Islam Makhachev’s net worth?
Per Media Referee, Makhachev's net worth is approximately $700,000.
Comparing him to other champions in the UFC, Israel Adesanya's net worth is about $4 million, while Leon Edwards has a net worth of $1.5 million.
What is Alexander Volkanovski’s net worth?
Per Players Bio, Volkanovski’s net worth is around $2 million. Volkanovski has made over $1.7 million with the UFC, per The Sports Daily.
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.
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.
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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.
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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