Alexander Volkanovski Details Pre-UFC 294 Interaction With Islam Makhachev: 'He Didn't Look Too Happy!'

Alexander Volkanovski had an interesting assessment of Islam Makhachev’s body language before their upcoming rematch.

Volkanovski will step up on days’ notice to face Makhachev in a highly anticipated lightweight title rematch this Saturday in Abu Dhabi. UFC 294 was originally supposed to be headlined by Makhachev and Charles Oliveira before Oliveira withdrew due to injury.

Volkanovski and Makhachev competed earlier this year in a ‘Fight of the Year’ contender at UFC 284 with Makhachev earning a unanimous decision win. This was Volkanovski’s lone defeat of his UFC tenure and just the second loss overall of his career.

There’s a lot of mutual respect between Volkanovski and Makhachev, especially after the last-second switchup at UFC 294. But, that hasn’t stopped the two of them from ramping up the intensity during fight week.

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Alexander Volkanovski Claims Islam Makhachev Is Intense Ahead Of UFC 294

During a recent interview with Fox Sports Australia, Volkanovski was asked if he and Makhachev had run into each other during fight week.

“We would’ve been fine, I saw him, and he didn’t look too happy,” Volkanovski said. “Whether he was trying to intimidate me, I don’t know what he’s trying to do, but I don’t get easily intimidated. Especially when the last thing I remembered was me on top of him ground-and-pounding him…that’s all I can remember.”

Makhachev has won 12 fights in a row since a knockout loss to Adriano Martins earlier in his UFC career. He earned the then-vacant lightweight title by tapping out Oliveira at UFC 280 last year.

Volkanovski bounced back from the Makhachev loss with a triumphant return to the featherweight division. He finished Yair Rodríguez at UFC 290 in his latest successful featherweight title defense.

Things are ramping up ahead of UFC 294, and inside the Octagon, there will be no love between these two pound-for-pound superstars.

• Read Also: UFC 294: Islam Makhachev vs. Alexander Volkanovski 2 Pre-Fight Press Conference Highlights & Faceoffs

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