"Why did you get out of there?"
To paraphrase the singer Young Tak's hit song, this is the story of Alexander Volkanovski (AUS), the United States mixed martial arts (UFC) featherweight champion.
Volkanovski will defend his lightweight title against reigning lightweight champion Islam Makhachev (Russia) in the main event of UFC 294, which takes place on April 22 at Etihad Arena on Yas Island in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates (UAE).
Initially, Volkanovski had no plans to compete at the event. No official announcement was made, but internally, he was expected to fight for the featherweight title next January against current No. 5 ranked featherweight Ilya Topuria (Georgia/Germany/Spain). 카지노사이트
Suddenly, just 11 days before the event, Volkanovski was announced as a contender. Former lightweight champion Charles Oliveira (BRA), who was originally scheduled to fight, pulled out after suffering a tear above his eye during training. Faced with the prospect of losing their main event, the UFC issued a last-minute SOS, and Volkanovski accepted the fight.
Volkanovski and Makachev had previously met at UFC 284 in February. In that fight, Makachev utilized his long reach and wrestling to win a unanimous decision. However, Volkanovski defied the odds and made it a close fight. He even knocked Makachev down in the fifth round. Many said that one more round and Volkanovski would have won the fight.
It's a different story now. If you look at it coldly, Volkanovski shouldn't have accepted this fight. The odds are stacked against him in every way. First of all, he doesn't have enough time to prepare for the match. Even if he was offered the fight about a month in advance, he would have absolutely no time to get in shape. It's too much to cut weight. I'm basically one weight class down, so I have to overcome my physical weaknesses.
It's interesting to see the analysis of Korean Zombie Chung Chan-sung on this match. "Volkanovski coming into this match with only 11 days to go can only mean two things. Either he's incredibly confident, or he's paid a lot of money."
Chung explains. "The UAE is a country with a lot of oil money. From the UFC's perspective, they don't want to ruin the event in Abu Dhabi. His theory is that the UFC promised Volkanovski a huge fight fee to keep the event alive, even if it came at a high cost. Of course, there's also the possibility of additional compensation for Makachev, who has to fight another opponent right before the event.
In terms of odds, Volkanovski is absolutely at a disadvantage. Even more so than their first meeting in February. The first meeting took place in Volkanovski's home country of Australia. This time, the fight will take place in the UAE. As a practicing Muslim, Makachev feels right at home in the Islamic country.
In addition, the "regain" time after the weigh-ins is also in Makachev's favor. In the first round, there were only 29 hours between the weigh-ins and fight time. Makatchev didn't have enough time to get back up to full weight. This was an advantage for Volkanovsky, who is usually underweight.
On the other hand, the tournament will reportedly allow 40 hours between weigh-ins and fight time. Volkanovski will weigh in at the lightweight limit of 70 kilograms, but will be able to make up to 82-83 kilograms when he steps into the Octagon. For Volkanovski, who normally weighs in the low 80s, this is a disadvantage. Chung believes that the more time a fighter has to regain weight, the better.
It's not just Chung's opinion that Makachev has the edge. Sportsbooks are giving Makatchev much better odds of victory. According to the official odds posted by the UFC, Volkanovski is +225. This means that if Volkanovski wins, a $100 bet will more than double to $225. Makachev, on the other hand, is -278, which means you'd have to bet 278 to win 100. These odds are hard to come by in a Volkanovsky match.
"I train all year round," Volkanovski said in a recent interview, "and I'm in good shape, just like I was in February," he emphasized. "I want a better ending to my story with Makachev. I want to finish him," he said, adding, "I really want to fight him and this fight is my best chance." Volkanovski also said, "I feel very free now, I don't feel any pressure at all," adding, "The world is changing for me now. I can't wait to go out there and shock the world."
If Volkanovski defeats Makachev, it could be one of the biggest upsets in UFC history. Volkanovski, who only announced his participation 11 days ago, could be the upset of the night, and fight fans around the world would be thrilled with a fight that has become much bigger than it was.