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Alexander Volkanovski's first fight with Islam Makhachev at UFC 284 was one of the highest-level fights in mixed martial arts history. Many, including Joe Rogan, were of the opinion that the Australian had done enough to dethrone his Dagestani rival as lightweight champion.
Unfortunately, Volkanovski lost to Makhachev via unanimous decision, sparking outrage across the MMA world. Rogan shared his thoughts on the Feb. 11, 2023 edition of the Fight Companion series he hosts on his podcast, along with his good friends Brendan Schaub, Bryan Callen, and Eddie Bravo.
"What a f*cking fight, man. What a f*cking fight, man. He beat him! He f*cking beat him. He beat Islam in Australia."
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Check out Joe Rogan's shock over the UFC 284 main event (1:29):
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To this day, many still maintain that Volkanovski was robbed of a win against Makhachev. However, the pair's rivalry was relatively short-lived, as they faced each other for a second time at UFC 294, where Volkanovski had stepped in on short-notice for Charles Oliveira, who withdrew due to a training cut.
The rematch ended far more decisively than the first, with the Dagestani grappler knocking Volkanovski out cold with a head kick and follow-up punches in round one. Thereafter, the Australian star returned to featherweight, where he suffered an immediate knockout loss to Ilia Topuria, costing him his 145-pound belt.
It has left Volkanovski on the first losing streak of his career, and at 36 years old, many have questioned whether he still has the ability to compete against the world's best fighters.
Alexander Volkanovski has one more chance at championship gold
Despite being a long-reigning featherweight champion, Alexander Volkanovski lost his title to Ilia Topuria. The Spaniard, though, is now eyeing a lightweight title opportunity, so he relinquished the featherweight belt, which is now up for grabs in the UFC 314 main event, which features Volkanovski.
He will have to overcome rising action fighter Diego Lopes, who is determined to become the latest champion at 145 pounds and return the title to both Brazil and Mexico, as he represents the two countries. But if Volkanovski has anything to say about it, he will instead remind the world just how good he is.
