UFC Lightweight Champion Islam Makhachev feels his upcoming showdown with Alexander Volkanovski hasn’t been promoted well.
Makhachev will face Volkanovski in the UFC 284 headliner in Perth on February 11th. He’ll defend his lightweight title in a super fight against the featherweight champion Volkanovski.
The Makhachev/Volkanovski clash is one of the biggest ‘champion vs. champion’ fights in UFC history. Both fighters have dominated in the Octagon in recent years, including Makhachev’s recent win over Charles Oliveira.
However, the Makhachev/Volkanovski is just days away and some fans might’ve forgotten about the fight. This comes amidst a busy early 2023 news cycle for the UFC, including Dana White‘s incident with his wife and the launch of the Power Slap League.
Makhachev feels the Volkanovski matchup deserves a bigger promotional platform ahead of fight night.
Islam Makhachev: UFC 284 Should’ve Been Marketed Better
During a recent interview with RSport Russia, Makhachev expressed disappointment in the UFC.
“I see that it is not such big promotion,” Makhachev said. “Dana White himself has some problems; he does not pay much attention to this fight…in terms of pay-per-view, yes, more could have been done. I only saw Volkanovski once, in Sydney. A tour could be organized around the world, a conference could be held in America.”
Makhachev, a top protégé of Khabib Nurmagomedov, is currently the second-ranked fighter on the UFC’s pound-for-pound list. Volkanovski, his UFC 284 adversary, currently claims the top spot.
Makhachev vs. Volkanovski has not only a title on the line, but the right to call themselves the pound-for-pound best. This makes the fight an even bigger deal, but it arguably isn’t getting a massive pop leading up to the event.
Makhachev not only plans to win but also win the biggest fight of his career in hostile territory. The backstory behind the Volkanovski fight will intrigue fans, although Makhachev thinks more could’ve been done by the UFC.
All quotes from MMA Junkie