UFC president Dana White is the happiest person in the world when his fighters deliver impressive performances inside the octagon. The UFC 294 event was on the verge of falling apart in a big way with last-minute fight cancellations. However, all four fighters involved in the main and co-main event made the event successful. Dana White and the UFC could not be happier about the manner in which the main event played out.
UFC lightweight champion Islam Makhachev defeated Alexander Volkanovski via head kick in the first round of the main event. White was asked by the media how he felt about Makhachev’s victory during the UFC 294 post-fight press conference. In response, White compared the finish to the decorated Mirko Cro-Cop’s highlight reel finishes. He said:
“Spectacular! I mean, listen! Cro-Cop-esque head kick. Islam talked a lot about coming in and revenging and setting the record straight on how everybody felt about the last fight. It wasn’t one of those situations where you say Alexander [Volkanovski] came in on short notice and gassed out or anything. He went in there and finished him! Impressive win by him.”
Watch Dana White express his thoughts here:
Alexander Volkanovski gave Islam Makhachev the toughest fight of his career in February 2023. A late finish or a decision win in a short-notice fight like this would probably take the shine away from Makhachev. However, the Russian champion put a decisive end in round one - leaving no room for doubt.