Alexander Volkanovski sees Islam Makhachev reigning over the light-weight division for some time.
Makhachev (25-1 MMA, 14-1 UFC) defends his light-weight title in opposition to Dustin Poirier (30-8 MMA, 22-7 UFC) in Saturday’s UFC 302 (pay-per-view/ESPN2/ESPN+) headliner at Prudential Middle in Newark, N.J.
“Islam’s going to be too good,” Volkanovski mentioned on his YouTube channel. “I believe he’s too protected of a fighter to make errors the place he’s going to get caught in opposition to somebody like Dustin Poirier. Dustin Poirier is a superb fighter. I simply assume it’s a tough combat for anyone and I don’t see anybody beating Islam for some time – until they catch him, proper?”
In a matchup between two southpaws, former featherweight champion Volkanovski analyzed the place Makhachev may face issues – regardless that he thinks he’s too calculated to fall into them.
“He doesn’t like to come back in straight the place he feels in peril,” Volkanovski mentioned of Makhachev. “He’ll ensure he’s off heart. His head is off line after which he will get himself again into a greater posture as he’s taking you down. Khabib was like this, as properly. The posture will not be proper, however he’s doing this to maintain his head off heart and never within the firing line, and he nonetheless does a terrific takedown from there.
“However now he’s going to be doing that with a southpaw fighter. So that you dip, you’re going to be much more comfy taking pictures. If somebody pressures you and will get you off guard, or your intuition response is to shoot, more often than not you’re taking pictures in opposition to orthodox fighters, your head’s going to dip to this aspect. Now you’re dipping to the ability aspect of Poirier as a result of he’s southpaw: energy aspect uppercuts, energy aspect kicks, energy aspect knees.”
Volkanovski fought Makhachev twice – dropping an in depth resolution at UFC 284, then getting knocked out of their short-notice rematch at UFC 294. He predicts that Makhachev will put Poirier away.
“I believe Islam is that good the place it’s going to be a end,” Volkanovski mentioned. “I believe it’s going to be a submission end.”
For extra on the cardboard, go to MMA Junkie’s occasion hub for UFC 302.
Remember to go to the MMA Junkie Instagram web page and YouTube channel to debate this and extra content material with followers of combined martial arts.