Islam Makhachev vs. Alexander Volkanovski stats: Height, weight, reach and UFC records comparison

At UFC 280, Islam Makhachev submitted Charles Oliveira to claim the UFC lightweight championship.

Following his win, the Dagestani fighter called out Alexander Volkanovski, who will now face Makhachev in a 155-lbs title match at UFC 284. The event is scheduled to take place on February 11, 2023, at the RAC Arena in Perth, Australia, and will mark Volkanovski's debut in the lightweight division.

It will also be Makahchev's first title defense, who stands at 5'10" with a reach of 70.5 inches. He has an impressive professional record of 23 wins, four of which have been knockouts, and is currently on an 11-fight win streak.

His opponent, Volkanovski, has been the featherweight division champion for more than three years and stands at 5'6" with a reach of 71.5 inches. 'The Great' has a pro record of 25 wins, twelve of which have been knockouts, and is currently on a 22-fight win streak.

The upcoming super fight between Makhachev and Volkanovski promises to be an exciting match, as Islam Makhachev has the height advantage. In contrast, Volkanovski has a superior reach.

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Alexander Volkanovski opines on Khabib Nurmagomedov's absence from Islam Makhachev's corner

In an interview with Ariel Helwani on The MMA Hour, 'Volk' claimed that he understands Khabib Nurmagomedov's unexpected retirement from MMA. However, he won't accept any excuses should he come out on top at UFC 284:

"I'm sure he'll feel it in preparation or maybe fight week and all that, but at the same time, he's done it before, and he's a great fighter. He's going to turn up and show up in the octagon anyway, even if Khabib was there or not. I'm preparing for the same Islam that I've seen, and if things go how I plan on them going, don't start changing narratives and start using all these excuses because it's the guy in front of him that's the problem."

At UFC 284, Alexander Volkanovski will attempt to become the fifth fighter in UFC history to hold two UFC championship belts. It's unclear how Khabib Nurmagomedov's absence will affect Islam Makhachev's chances of winning the event.

Check out Alexander Volkanovski's interview below: