MMA
UFC 294: Islam Makhachev finishes Alexander Volkanovski in devastating fashion
Watch UFC 294 live on ESPN (US only)
Well, Islam Makhachev left no doubt over who the superior fighter is this time.
Makhachev unloaded a vicious head kick that banged across Alexander Volkanovski's head, before some ground-and-pound punches secured a devastating first-round knockout to retain his lightweight championship in the headliner of UFC 294 at the Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi on Saturday night.
The rematch victory was even more convincing than the unanimous decision that Makhachev produced over in a February fight that some critics and fans felt like Volkanovski did enough to win.
On Saturday, Makhachev immediately asserted his offense by targeting Volkanovski's legs with leg kicks. That escalated to a stinging body kick and the head kick that knocked Volkanovski out on his feet, before some punches made the ref step in and end the fight at the 3:06 mark.
The second Makhachev produced the emphatic victory, he brought his index finger to his lips in attempt to silence any critics.
"Credit to Islam — great kick," said Volkanovski, the featherweight champion, after taking the fight on only 12 days notice.
Here's how the entire UFC 294 pay-per-view main card went.
