"That's a lie" - Alexander Volkanovski explains why popular fan opinion about his UFC 294 fight is utterly wrong

Alexander Volkanovski recently weighed in on his upcoming lightweight title rematch against Islam Makhachev and dismissed the idea that he has nothing to lose going into this matchup on short notice.

While Makhachev was set to rematch Charles Oliveira at UFC 294 on October 21, the Brazilian was forced to pull out due to an injury less than 14 days before it was scheduled. Volkanovski promptly stepped in as a short-notice replacement and will have another go at the Dagestani grappling phenom.

Islam Makhachev and Alexander Volkanovski previously faced each other at UFC 284 in February. After a razor-sharp contest over five exhilarating rounds, Makhachev got his hand raised via unanimous decision. Given that many scored the fight in favor of the Australian, a rematch was unsurprisingly in order.

With Volkanovski accepting a title fight against Makhachev on less than 14 days' notice, many believe the pressure is on the reigning lightweight champion, who's had a full training camp. Volkanovski's featherweight title won't be on the line either, making it seem like he doesn't have much to lose going into UFC 294.

In a recent interview with Ariel Helwani, Alexander Volkanovski explained how fans are utterly mistaken and said:

"A lot of people act like there's nothing to lose for me... That's a lie. Everyone knows I want this rematch. Everyone knows I want this belt. If I lose this fight, I ain't getting another shot at the title anytime soon. Let's be real. I ain't getting a rematch anytime soon either."

Catch Volkanovski's comments below (10:40):

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Alexander Volkanovski aiming for a knockout victory against Islam Makhachev at UFC 294

Alexander Volkanovski is looking forward to securing a statement knockout victory against Islam Makhachev at UFC 294. In the same interview with Ariel Helwani, the featherweight king expressed his confidence about finishing the Dagestani grappling maestro and taking home the 155-pound strap.

As mentioned, Volkanovski's previous unanimous decision loss against Makhachev was a highly debated result among MMA fans, with many scoring the fight in favor of the Australian. Soon after the fight, 'The Great' called for a rematch, and his wish was granted, albeit under less-than-ideal circumstances.

Speaking to Ariel Helwani on The MMA Hour, Alexander Volkanovski opened up about his upcoming title fight and said:

"I believe I finish him. You’re going to see one of the most dangerous Volkanovskis you’ve ever seen. Purely because I can’t afford to do anything else, that’s the way I’m looking at it... Stop leaving it to the judges, let’s just go out there and really make a statement."

Catch Volkanovski's comments below (8:25):