UFC 294 Makhachev Vs Volkanovski live: Distressed Aussie knocked out

Aussie UFC champion Alexander Volkanovski has broken down in tears, dropping stunning personal news following his KO defeat.

Tyson Otto

@tottodtsport

6 min read

October 22, 2023 - 8:50AM

Alexander Volkanovski was in a bad way.

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Aussie Alexander Volkanovski will be back.

The featherweight king has broken down in tears when facing reporters on Sunday morning following his painful KO defeat at the hands of Islam Makhachev in Abu Dhabi.

The highly-anticipated re-match ended in the blink of an eye when the lightweight champion suddenly ended the fight with a filthy high kick to Volkanovski’s head just three minutes into the first round.

UFC 294: Makhachev vs Volkanovski 2 | SUN 22nd OCT 5AM AEDT | Order Now with Main Event on Kayo Sports

The brutal finisher opened a nasty cut above Volkanovski’s eye and blood was pouring down his face.

Volkanovski had collapsed to the floor after the strike and was clearly in gaga-land. Incredibly, the brave Aussie even tried to continue the fight.

Alexander Volkanovski was distressed after the loss.

It was a kick of absolute class. Photo: ESPN.

Makhachev jumped on Volkanovski after he sunk to the floor and landed more hammer fists to the Aussie’s face before the fight was finally stopped by the referee.

“This is hard to watch,” UFC commentator Jon Anik said on ESPN.

Leading UFC commentator Ariel Helwani wrote it was “shocking to see” Volkanovski lose in that fashion.

It was just the second time in his career that Volkanovski has been stopped — and the first time since 2013 that he did not make it to the final siren.

“Holy smokes,” former MMA fighter Paul Felder said in commentary.

“That’s it. That’s the end of it [the rivalry].”

The kick that ended it. Photo: ESPN.

The fight started as a grappling squabble on the fence of the Octagon. Makhachev went on to land some good kicks to Volanovski’s body. Then, BANG! Makhachev ended it on the spot with a head kick.

Volkanovski was able to back to his feet after being treated by medical staff. He was able to embrace Makhachev in the centre of the Octagon after a couple of minutes.

Volkanovski looked absolutely devastated after the defeat.

Alexander Volkanovski with a couple of nasty cuts after that fight. The one on the eyebrow pretty clearly came from the head kick delivered by Islam Makhachev #UFC294 pic.twitter.com/VSLW9LOJmN
— Damon Martin (@DamonMartin) October 21, 2023

ISLAM MAKHACHEV JUST KNOCKED OUT ALEX VOLKANOVSKI ðŸ˜±ðŸ˜± #UFC294 pic.twitter.com/g4bsINLcKM
— UFC (@ufc) October 21, 2023

“Obviously it’s hard. I don’t like losing,” he said.

“That hurts me. He’s a great champion. What are you gonna do?

“I back myself every single time and I still stand by that.”

He went on to tell UFC boss Dana White that he will be ready to fight again soon.

“Keep me busy,” he said with a grin.

“I don’t like not fighting. I’m doing my head in when I’m not fighting. I’m happy to go back in January.”

He sent a message to his friends and family back home to assure them he feels “fine”.

He confirmed he now plans to return to featherweight to defend his belt. It has been reported his next defence will be against Ilia Topuria in the yet-to-be announced UFC 297 main event card scheduled for January 20 in Toronto.

Volkanovski was even more emotional when speaking after the fight.

He revealed personal news that he has been grappling with private mental health battles and needed to take the fight for those reasons.

Volkanovski was visibly emotional when discussing his reasoning for taking the fight against Makhachev. #UFC294 pic.twitter.com/yLEu71AXhZ
— ESPN MMA (@espnmma) October 21, 2023

It is a sad end to Volkanovski’s campaign to become a double champ in two weight divisions.

The Aussie will lose no respect from the result after taking the fight on just 11 days notice.

After Charles Oliveira was forced out of the fight after suffering a gash in training just 12 days out from the fight, Volkanovski jumped at his second chance to become a champ-champ.

Volkanovski, who was on holiday when he got the call to step in against Makhachev, lost a remarkable 12kg in 11 days to make weight for the Abu Dhabi clash.

6.30am — Savage flying knee KO

Ikram Aliskerov flattened Warlley Alves with a sizzling flying knee TKO in the first round.

Alves was trying to get back to his feet on the cage and was expecting another flurry of strikes before Aliskerov did a clever switch up to throw in the unexpected flying knee.

It landed perfectly and Alves was out cold.

Earlier, Said Nurmagomedov needed just 73 seconds to choke out Muin Gafurov.

Ikram Aliskerov makes a statement.

5.30am — ‘This is crazy’: Breeden wins barking like dog

Mike Breeden has just become an MMA cult hero.

The American fighter was seen barking at his opponent Anshui Jubli as he came back from a first round bashing to pull off a massive knock out win.

Breeden was a huge underdog for the fight and decided to come out blasting in the third round knowing he had to knock his opponent out to avoid losing.

He did just that with a flurry of punches that rocked his Indian opponent to the floor.

“He’ll be thinking, ‘What in the hell’,” UFC legend Daniel Cormier said about Breeden woofing like a dog while commentating the fight for ESPN.

“This is crazy.”

Breeden said his bizarre strategy was a big turning point.

“The minute I started talking to him and pointing at him, and pointing my finger down [at the mat], that’s the s*** I live for,” Breeden said after the fight.

MIKE BREEDEN WITH THE FIRST KO OF #UFC294 ðŸ’¥

Stream the prelims NOW on @ESPNPlus and @espnmma YouTube. pic.twitter.com/V1sKbzYipH
— ESPN MMA (@espnmma) October 21, 2023

Mike Breeden uses the DMX game plan to bark at Anshul Jubli and then faceplants him with a brutal knockout. Well done#UFC294
— Damon Martin (@DamonMartin) October 21, 2023

Mike Breeden with one heck of a comeback win. #UFC294
— Marc Raimondi (@marcraimondi) October 21, 2023

Volkanovski puts ‘jealous’ McGregor in his place

Alexander Volkanovski has hit back at UFC legend Conor McGregor as the pair’s bitter feud has reignited on the eve of his historic second fight with Islam Makhachev.

Volkanovski said he would gladly settle his social media feud with McGregor in the octagon after the Irishman continued his relentless social media attacks.

If Volkanovski beats Makhachev, it will be hard to deny the Aussie anything he wants, and a potential superfight with McGregor could be high on the list — even potentially at UFC 300.

McGregor’s recent insults are that Volkanovski “couldn’t hold my spit bucket, and that the Aussie is “a little sausage” who is “readable, hittable, hurtable”.

And yet Volk has the belt — maybe two on Sunday. Photo by Steve Marcus/Getty Images

He also said Volkanovski shouldn’t be ranked No. 1 pound for pound, a position he holds with heavyweight champion Jon Jones.

Speaking with Fox Sports earlier in the week, Volkanovski said the sledges were “a compliment” because of the hype surrounding the Aussie at the moment.

“He sees everything that is happening with me, the way everyone is carrying on about me, and he hates that,” Volkanovski said.

“Hates it because somebody else is getting all the attention.

“He’s jealous. Not jealous of me, because the bloke is in a f**king good position. But he is jealous about the attention I’m getting.

“That I’m higher on the featherweight GOAT list, that I’m the pound for pound king. Was Conor McGregor ever top of that list?

“I’m not sure because Jon Jones was always there, right? So I’m doing things he hasn’t done.”

McGregor is on the comeback trail. Photo by Stacy Revere/Getty Images

Volkanovski also laughed of McGregor calling himself the “featherweight GOAT”, but did say he’d be happy to share the octagon with the Irishman.

“Does he deserve it? Look, I’d love to say that I’m so big now that it would just be an opportunity for him,” Volkanovski said.

“But let’s be real, when we are talking paycheques, when we are talking money … we both get a lot out of it.

“And I’m happy for him to share that with me. I think the fight definitely will happen because he keeps mentioning my name, keeps saying I’m a fight he wants.

“He also knows I’m a guy who fights anyone, anywhere, any weight — literally, any weight. So whatever weight he wants … let’s go.”

Over to you Dana White, let’s book it in!

How to watch UFC 294

Australian fight fans can catch all the action from UFC 294 live on Main Event and Kayo Sports.

The prelims are available to watch on ESPN via Kayo, before the action for the main card switches over to Main Event. To watch Volkanovski’s fight, you’ll need to purchase the pay-per-view at a cost of $59.95.

What time does UFC 294 start in Australia?

With UFC 294 being held in Abu Dhabi, Aussie MMA fans will need to tune in much earlier on Sunday morning instead of the usual afternoon time slot.

The prelims kick off at 1am (AEDT), while the main card will commence at 5am (AEDT).

Fight timing isn’t an exact science, but Volkanovski and Makhachev are expected to enter the Octagon around 7am.

Full card

Main Card (from 5am AEDT)

Islam Makhachev (c) v Alexander Volkanovski for the UFC lightweight title

Khamzat Chimaev d Kamaru Usman — via majority decision (29-27 x 2, 28-28).

Magomed Ankalaev vs Johnny Walker — no contest

Ikram Aliskerov d Warlley Alves — via TKO, Round 1

Said Nurmagomedov d Muin Gafurov — via TKO submission (Round 1)

Preliminary card results