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After Suffering Injury That Required Medical Aid, Islam Makhachev Reveals Aftermath of Head Kick KO Against Alexander Volkanovski

Published 10/29/2023, 5:08 PM EDT

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The fight between Alexander Volkanovski and Islam Makhachev will forever be etched in UFC history. With the UFC lightweight title on the line, the current division champion, Islam Makhachev, fought the UFC featherweight champion Alexander Volkanovski. This was the second time they were in the cage against one another, the first time being at UFC 284. Both fighters had unfinished business. While the Dagestani won the second bout as well, it wasn’t without consequences.

Makhachev secured a win by putting the featherweight champion to sleep by landing a perfectly timed kick to his head. Now, after the fight, Makhachev has given his fans an update on a serious injury he suffered in the fight.

Islam Makhachev got something he didn’t bargain for at UFC 294

During that first fight at UFC 284, Volkanovski came really close to securing a win over Makhachev. He was clearly rattled, and the fans wanted a rematch between the two. Even Makhachev and Volkanovski both seemingly wanted to go at it again. While they got what they wanted at UFC 294, the fight didn’t end well for either of them. Yes, Makhachev walked away with his title. But he also walked away with something he wouldn’t have wanted.

Makhachev landed a nasty head kick that put ‘Volk’ to sleep. However, the damage spilled both ways. Makhachev uploaded a picture of his injured leg on his Instagram story while tagging his chiropractor, @aliaskhab_kinezio. After the Dagestani dealt that huge blow to the featherweight champion, he also ensured a long recovery road ahead for himself. Even so, UFC 294 became a legendary night for fans because of that Round 1 KO.

Islam Makhachev was initially supposed to fight the #1 ranked lightweight fighter, Charles Oliveira. However, Oliveira suffered a severe injury while sparring, which prevented him from competing in the UFC 294 main event. The UFC needed a top fighter to replace Oliveira on short notice, and Volkanovski stepped up.

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What was different about the two fights between Volkanovski and Makhachev?

Fighters have to go through a preparation process before every fight. When the two champions first fought at UFC 284, Volkanovski had enough time to prepare for the bout against Islam Makhachev. He even came really close to becoming a double champ. But Makhachev won the the tie.

However, things were different when the two met again at UFC 294. Volkanovski had to take up the fight on short notice, replacing Charles Oliveira. He had little time to prepare for the battle as he accepted it on less than two weeks’ notice. He was initially quite confident about taking the win, but Makhachev was ready for him and secured an emphatic victory.

Do you think a trilogy bout is going to happen anytime soon? Share your thoughts in the comments below!

Read More: Conor McGregor Acknowledges Top Ranked 170 Pounder for Breaking Down Islam Makhachev’s Head Kick Knockout on Alexander Volkanovski

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Written by:

Arghyadeep Ghosh

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Hi, I am Arghyadeep, a UFC Writer at EssentiallySports. Being brought up alongside two brothers who were avid WWE fans, I had no option but to watch alongside them and sometimes even partake in their ?re-enactments?. However, I found myself gravitating towards combat sports soon after.
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Edited by:

Arijit Saha