5 reasons why UFC 284's Islam Makhachev vs. Alexander Volkanovski headliner is historic

At the upcoming UFC 284 pay-per-view, a true super-fight is underway as Alexander Volkanovski will square off against Islam Makhachev in the main event. Matchups like this don't come around often, and as such, we thought we'd delve deeper into this historic clash.

Both Volkanovski and Makhachev have emerged as dominant forces in their respective divisions over the last few years, climbing to the top two spots in the promotion's pound-for-pound rankings. Apart from pound-for-pound supremacy, there are other key factors heading into this momentous clash.

Here are five reasons why Islam Makhachev vs. Alexander Volkanovski is such a historically significant matchup.

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#5. Historic win streaks

Akin to his mentor Khabib Nurmagomedov, Islam Makhachev endured a difficult journey to the top, largely because top contenders refused to fight him. Submission wins over Drew Dober, Thiago Moises and Dan Hooker in 2021 saw Makhachev break into the top tier of the division, making his title bid inevitable.

At UFC 280 last year, Makhachev extended his winning streak to 11 straight when he submitted Charles Oliveira to claim the lightweight throne. It has now been over seven years since the Russian's lone career loss back in 2015.

On the flipside, it has been over nine years since Alexander Volkaovski's solitary professional loss. 'The Great' suffered defeat in just his fourth fight way back in 2013 on the Australian regional scene in a welterweight bout, and has since won 22 fights on the bounce.

Undefeated in the UFC, Volkanovski has already racked up four title defenses. With his three wins over former 145-pound champion Max Holloway, the Australian is widely regarded as the greatest featherweight of all time. He will put his near-decade-long win streak on the line against Makhachev on Saturday in pursuit of champ-champ status.

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#4. Islam Makhachev and Alexander Volkanovski represent the best gyms in the world

City Kickboxing (CKB) has emerged as one of the best gyms in the world over the past five years. While Dan Hooker was the first representative for the famed team in the UFC, Israel Adesanya and Alexander Volkanovski are now the faces of CKB, which has also produced the likes of Kai Kara-France, Brad Riddell and Carlos Ulberg.

Volkanovski splits his time between the Freestyle Fighting Gym in Australia and CKB in New Zealand, perfecting his craft under the tutelage of Joe Lopez and Eugene Bareman. The two gyms have turned 'The Great' into a formidable force and he will look to bring even more silverware home with a win this weekend.

Speaking of dominant gyms, the American Kickboxing Academy (AKA) has been tremendously successful in the UFC for a very long time. Having produced champions like Cain Velasquez, Daniel Cormier, Luke Rockhold and Khabib Nurmagomedov, AKA is considered one of the best teams on the planet.

Islam Makhachev also trained at AKA alongside Nurmagomedov, who now serves as his mentor. Makhachev still has AKA head coach Javier Mendez in his corner, but spent the majority of his training camp in Russia with his Dagestani team, which is slowly but surely taking over the sport.

The late Abdulmanap Nurmagomedov's system of fighting continues to be utilized by members of his son Khabib's family, with unbeaten bantamweight Umar and Bellator champion Usman also emerging as dominant entities.

Makhachev will look to retain the lightweight strap and keep the belt in Dagestan when he fights Alexander Volkanovski at UFC 284, following in the footsteps of his mentor and former teammate.

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#3. Islam Makhachev and Alexander Volkanovski are in their prime

The UFC is no stranger to criticism, but one thing is undeniable – the best fight the best at the right time. While we have seen a few blockbuster boxing bouts, like Floyd Mayweather Jr. vs. Manny Pacquiao, the matchup came to fruition far too late in both fighters' careers.

In the UFC, there is no hiding from the hardest matchups available. Islam Makhachev, hailed by many as the most well-rounded lightweight ever, is amidst his athletic prime at the moment. Still just 31, Makhachev has a long way to go in his professional career.

With his Combat Sambo background and much-improved striking, Islam Makhachev seemingly has no weaknesses, making Alexander Volkanovski's challenge even greater. This is a massive gamble from the Australian featherweight champion, but with high risk comes high rewards.

Volkanovski is now 34 and appears to be getting better with every passing fight. After his first two bouts with Max Holloway, where he edged out two decision wins, 'The Great' has grown from strength to strength in every facet of his game.

His last three performances, against Brian Ortega, Chan Sung Jung and Holloway for a third time, are among the most impressive performances you'll ever see inside the octagon. Volkanovski is now brimming with confidence, which brought about his desire for two-division gold. He is undoubtedly at the height of his powers.

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#2. UFC Champion vs. UFC Champion

In combat sports, champion vs. champion fights represent the cream of the crop. At UFC 284, featherweight champion Alexander Volkanovski will look to become the fifth-ever simultaneous two-division champion in UFC history when he locks horns with lightweight king Islam Makhachev.

Both Alexander Volkanovski and Islam Makhachev not only hold the title in their divisions, they're also regarded as the clear-cut best at 145 and 155 pounds respectively. Pit Volkanovski against any featherweight on the roster and he'd be the betting favorite, and it's the same case for Makhachev in the lightweight division.

Of course, Makhachev has more to lose in this matchup as Volkanovski will still be the featherweight champion regardless of what happens on Saturday. However, the Australian is certainly under pressure to deliver the goods while headlining the UFC's first event in Australia in over three years.

The stakes are rarely this high heading into a champion vs. champion bout, and we haven't even discussed the pound-for-pound implications yet.

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#1. Pound-for-Pound Supremacy

After long-reigning champion Kamaru Usman was shockingly dethroned last year, Alexander Volkanovski emerged as the new pound-for-pound king in the UFC, becoming the first Australian to lay claim to the top spot.

Volkanovski could've opted to continue defending his featherweight strap and stay atop the pound-for-pound rankings for a long time, but he isn't one to play it safe. Soon after claiming the top spot, he made no secret of his desire to move up a division and put his pound-for-pound ranking to the test.

He weighed in as the back-up for last year's Charles Oliveira vs. Islam Makhachev lightweight title fight and shared an in-cage interaction with the victor soon after the bout. Makhachev dominated Oliviera, the most credentialled finisher in UFC history, with relative ease and showed off his diverse skillset as well.

There are weight classes for a reason, and Makhachev will have a size and strength advantage in this historic clash. Volkanovski has a massive task ahead of him at UFC 284 and if he executes his gameplan to the best of his ability, we have a mouthwatering matchup on our hands.

UFC 284 alternate poster [Image via @ufc on Instagram]