UFC

The seventh champion-vs-champion matchup in UFC history is official after Islam Makhachev and Alexander Volkanovski made weight for UFC 284.

Alexander Volkanovski has vowed "I ain't scared" as he prepares to step up a level and collide with Islam Makhachev in a blockbuster champion-v-champion UFC ...

"He's (number one), pound for pound, but many people say Islam is the best fighter in the world right now, and Sunday I'm going to show you why the people think this." "Because I am the champion and this is 155 (pounds), this is not his area," he told reporters. "I know it's going to make me better and that's what people remember.

UFC returns to Perth, Australia on Saturday for a card headlined by lightweight champion Islam Makhachev vs. featherweight champion Alexander Volkanovski.

He has delivered Fight of the Nights in his promotional debut against Brad Riddell and his most recent fight opposite Michael Johnson. Brown is a great next step: a hardened UFC veteran who has overcome inconsistency and is on the best run of his UFC career. Crute hasn't made it past the first round in his last six fights (and six of seven UFC fights overall). Menifield leveled up with a KO of Misha Cirkunov in his last fight and can level up again by making Crute his third consecutive victim. Crute, coming off back-to-back losses, is undefeated when fighting in Australia and New Zealand and looks to feed off the energy of his fellow countrymen. UFC 284 is headlined by a historic super fight between the two pound-for-pound best fighters in the promotion and that may overshadow some hidden gems sprinkled on the card.

Featherweight champion Alexander Volkanovski moves up a division to face lightweight champ Islam Makhachev at UFC 284 on February 11.

ET on ESPN+. ET on ESPN and ESPN+. If you buy them, we may get a small share of the revenue from the sale from our partners. We may receive products free of charge from manufacturers to test. That's more than 30% off the regular combined price of an annual subscription and a PPV event. The main card requires an ESPN+ membership ($10/month) and an extra pay-per-view fee of $80. Before the main event, the early prelims will be broadcast at 6 p.m. ET on ESPN+ After your first year of service, ESPN+ will renew for the regular annual price of $100. ET on ESPN and ESPN+ The champions of two UFC divisions will meet in the main event of UFC 284, with featherweight champ Alexander Volkanovski moving up in weight class to challenge lightweight title holder Islam Makhachev. Makhachev has won 11 straight fights dating back to 2016; he earned the lightweight championship with a submission victory over Charles Oliveira in October 2022.

'I was delusional': How Whittaker helped save 'scared' Aussie UFC prospect.

Or that I wasn’t at my best. “I was looking at how I wanted things to be rather than what was the truth.” Crute adds: “And when you look back at that fight, I was going after him from the get go. “I didn’t want to accept the fact that I needed surgery. “But I can look back to that fight now and go ‘OK that was fear’. Like Crute, the Reaper disappeared for an extended period as part of a reinvention that, once again, sees him ranked among the company most dangerous fighters. “I didn’t fight the way I should’ve and Hill was the better man. “And it wasn’t like I was scared of Jamahal. “So I really had to take a step back and fix some things.” “I was letting my ego get in the way. “Entering into that fight, I was a shell,” the Aussie revealed. “And I feel it’s going to be sooner than you might think.”

Also a training partner of Charles Oliveira, [autotag]Elves Brenner[/autotag] signed on for a short-notice UFC opportunity after back-to-back wins on the ...

PERTH: Mixed martial arts fighter Alexander Volkanovski has vowed he "ain't scared" as the Australian prepares to step up a level and collide with Islam ...

"He's (number one), pound for pound, but many people say Islam is the best fighter in the world right now, and Sunday I'm going to show you why the people think this." "Because I am the champion and this is 155 (pounds), this is not his area," he told reporters. "I know it's going to make me better and that's what people remember.

Islam Makhachev has the tools to defeat Alexander Volkanovski on Saturday in the main event of UFC 284 in Perth, Australia.

The UFC is back in Australia for the first time in over three years tonight as Islam Makhachev defends his lightweight belt against featherweight king ...

Alexander Volkanovski: "It's good to be back in Australia. Islam Makhachev: "I am the champion and we are fighting at 155lb, this is not his area. Jack Jenkins vs. The BT Sport app is available to download on mobile, tablet, select streaming devices, games consoles, and Smart TVs. The champions will likely make their way to the cage at around 5am, but this is dependent on the result of the four main card fights that take place before it. The Russian won the 155lb belt when he tapped out Charles Oliveira last October in Abu Dhabi, whilst Volkanovski has held the featherweight title since 2019.

Here is all you need to know about UFC 284, including when Islam Makhachev and Alexander Volkanovski will make their way to the octagon.

ET ET GMT The Sporting News may earn an affiliate commission through our links when you sign up for a streaming service. and Mexico on the Makhachev and Volkanovski should make their way to the octagon around 12:15 a.m. - Main event: 12:15 a.m. 2 p.m. - Main card: 10 p.m. 12 p.m. - Prelims: 8 p.m. On the ground, Makhachev is a dangerous fighter. History could be made at UFC 284 as Alexander Volkanovski attempts to become just the fifth dual champion in UFC history on February 11.

Here is all you need to know about UFC 283, including where you can watch the title fight between Islam Makhachev and Alexander Volkanovski.

ET ET GMT The Sporting News may earn an affiliate commission through our links when you sign up for a streaming service. Makhachev and Volkanovski should make their way to the octagon around 12:15 a.m. - Main event: 12:15 a.m. 2 p.m. - Main card: 10 p.m. 12 p.m. - Prelims: 8 p.m. New subscribers can pay a bundle price of $124.98 for the UFC 284 pay-per-view and an ESPN+ annual subscription, which offers savings of more than 30 percent. and Mexico on the Since then, he has won eight in a row, beating Max Holloway for the UFC featherweight title in 2019.

The stacked card will be highlighted by a Lightweight Title match in the main event, where the pound-for-pound top-ranked fighter, Alexander Volkanovski, will ...

You could sign up with the DraftKings Promo Code and bet $5 on the main event to go the distance. Because of this, it is wise to claim and use the UFC betting promos above. These are the top UFC betting promos and offers being offered for UFC 284 this weekend. There are many great fights on Saturday's UFC 284 card, and surely all of the Aussies on the card will put on a show for their hometown fans. This would give you $200 in bet credits instantly, and you could win another $7 if the bet hits. If you are in CO, MI, or NJ, you will get $100 after you bet $100. Use these on Makhachev vs Volkanovski or any other fight on the card. New users in AZ, IN, LA, NY, TN, and VA can sign up with These great welcome bonuses on the top Once there, you will be asked to provide personal information in order to verify your identity, such as your name, physical address, and email address. The stacked card will be highlighted by a Lightweight Title match in the main event, where the pound-for-pound top-ranked fighter, Alexander Volkanovski, will be the challenger against Islam Makhachev. [betting promos](https://www.rotowire.com/betting/sportsbook-promo-codes) and welcome bonuses from the best [sports betting sites ](https://www.rotowire.com/betting/best-sports-betting-sites)for UFC 284 below.

The UFC is finally returning down under again when featherweight title holder Alexander Volkanovski looks to become a double-champ by taking down ...

Early preliminary card Preliminary card The action gets underway at 10.15am AEDT (7.15am local time and 6.15pm ET) with the early preliminary card as Australian Jack Jenkins makes his UFC debut.

Is Islam Makhachev the true No. 1 pound-for-pound fighter in the world or will Alexander Volkanovski beat him to become "champ-champ" at UFC 284?

[Elves Brenner](https://www.mmafighting.com/fighter/6209/elves-brenner) Jimmy Crute is only 26, but I already have concerns about the injuries he’s dealt with and the damage he’s taken in his fights. Not everyone is blessed with dynamite in their hands and Porter shouldn’t be embarrassed that he can’t chuck hammers with the best of the big man division. He’s a towering welterweight, he’s comfortable fighting orthodox or southpaw (as is Della Maddelena), and he has offensive grappling in his back pocket if it comes down to it. He’s a calculating striker with power in both hands and a feel for finishes. [ESPN+](http://go.web.plus.espn.com/c/482924/595608/9070?sharedid=MMAFighting) at 6 p.m. [UFC 284](https://www.mmafighting.com/fight-card/1349/ufc-284) main event: Pound-for-pound greatness. ET and is available exclusively on [ESPN+](http://go.web.plus.espn.com/c/482924/595608/9070?sharedid=MMAFighting) pay-per-view. Technique and speed is at the top of my list when it comes to picking striking battles, so Rodriguez gets the edge there too especially with his knack for avoiding big punches. [Chan Sung Jung](https://www.mmafighting.com/fighter/14/chan-sung-jung), and [Frankie Edgar](https://www.mmafighting.com/fighter/60/frankie-edgar) to wildly varying degrees of success. Even in his more humbling defeats, you can bet that Rodriguez learned a lot and all of those lessons have culminated in forging the contender that you see now. ET, with continuing coverage of the four-fight prelim card on ESPN and [ESPN+](http://go.web.plus.espn.com/c/482924/595608/9070?sharedid=MMAFighting) beginning at 8 p.m.

UFC pound-for-pound number one and featherweight champion Alexander Volkanovski and number two and lightweight king Islam Makhachev square off in the early ...

Let's remember that the five events with the most PPV buys on UFC have all featured Conor McGregor. It's going to be one of the five biggest fights of all time. Incredibly, even Makhachev has been harshly criticising the UFC president for the lack of promotional events, especially in the United States, since it was announced that he would face 'The Great' at UFC 284. What does he know about what is going on for the promotion of the fight? We know because it's sold out and because of the PPV." [Dana White on Derrick Lewis: "I love the guy, so he's not going anywhere"](https://www.marca.com/en/ufc/2023/02/06/63e03c9f46163fc0088b4581.html)

MMA Junkie fight analyst Dan Tom breaks down the main card of UFC 284, which features two title fights in Australia.

In the main event, lightweight champion Islam Makhachev (23-1 MMA, 12-1 UFC) puts his title on the line against featherweight champ Alexander Volkanovski (25-1 ...

A massive showdown of elite pound-for-pound fighters is set for Saturday night's UFC 284 main event when featherweight champion Alexander Volanovski moves ...

Menifield can absolutely crack and is a tempting underdog pick at +160, but the safer play is to simply take the under. Yes, Makhachev is a big, strong mauler while Volkanovski is moving up a division in pursuit of greatness. Both men hit hard and can have defensive lapses that result in eating clean shots to the face. It feels a bit iffy to pick a fight between two men who have only been stopped once each -- not counting a Rodriguez loss by doctor's stoppage -- to not go the distance. That alone makes a Volkanovski moneyline bet at +320 a worthwhile play in terms of pure value. Brown has been stopped by strikes twice in his career and Della Maddalena has 11 knockouts in his 13 career wins. Tafa's 5-3 record doesn't inspire much confidence, but he's a good finisher, and being a New Zealander, isn't also dealing with the effects of travel the same way Porter will be. 2023 got off to a hot start as we went 4-1 on our picks for UFC 283. The fight will be Makhachev's first defense of the lightweight title after a dominant win over former champion Charles Oliveira at UFC 280. A massive showdown of elite pound-for-pound fighters is set for Saturday night's UFC 284 main event when featherweight champion Alexander Volanovski moves up to challenge lightweight champion Islam Makhachev for the 155-pound title. Similarly, six of 10 Octagon trips for Menifield have ended in the first round. Della Maddalena exploded onto the scene in 2022 with three first-round knockouts.

Islam Makhachev's first defense of his lightweight title will take place in the early hours of Saturday morning against featherweight champion Alexander ...

In 2018, she took out Cris Cyborg in the first round to become the women's featherweight champion as well. Almost a year later, in 2016, he defeated Eddie Alvarez for the lightweight belt. Before vacating the light-heavyweight title, DC defeated Stipe Miocic to win the heavyweight title. This means that both titles and the honor of joining the small club of champions in two divisions simultaneously are at stake at UFC 284 for the Australian. The odds are on the Russian to win. In the days of Randy Couture and Chuck Liddell, for example, it might have happened, but that's not the way things were done.

See The Fight Results As They Happen, Watch Post-Fight Interviews With The Winners And More From RAC Arena In Perth, Western Australia.

[Official Scorecards](https://www.ufc.com/news/official-judges-scorecards-ufc-284-makhachev-vs-volkanovski) ](https://plus.espn.com/ufc/ppv?ex_cid=DSS-OFF-UFC-INARTICLE-EN) [Alexander Volkanovski](/athlete/alexander-volkanovski)(25-1, fighting out of Windang, NSW) will attempt to make history yet again by becoming the first Australian to reach double champ status [Watch On ESPN+](https://www.ufc.com/ppv) [Josh Emmett](/athlete/josh-emmett)(18-2, fighting out of Sacramento, CA), currently ranked No.5 UFC featherweight, has five straight wins and is coming off a split decision win over Calvin Kattar in June [Watch On ESPN+](https://www.ufc.com/ppv) [UFC 284: Makhachev vs Volkanovski](/event/ufc-284), live from RAC Arena in Perth, Western Australia. The Mexican-born striker has just one loss in his past five fights [Jack Jenkins](/athlete/jack-jenkins)(10-2, fighting out of Melbourne, Australia) will make his UFC debut after winning a contract on Dana White’s Contender Series earlier this year. [Alexander “The Great” Volkanovski](/athlete/alexander-volkanovski) will take on newly crowned UFC lightweight champion, [Islam Makhachev](/athlete/islam-makhachev) in a five round championship bout. [Justin Tafa](/athlete/justin-tafa)(5-3, fighting out of Brisbane, Australia) will face American, [Parker Porter](/athlete/parker-porter)(13-7, fighting out of Hartford, Connecticut) [Watch On ESPN+](https://www.ufc.com/ppv) [Tyson Pedro](/athlete/tyson-pedro)(9-3, fighting out of Sydney, Australia) will take on [Modestas Bukauskas](/athlete/Modestas-Bukauskas)(13-5, fighting out of London, England by way of Klaipeda, Lithuania) [Watch On ESPN+](https://www.ufc.com/ppv) Jenkins will face [Don Shainis](/athlete/don-shainis)(12-4, fighting out of Stoughton, Massachusetts) at featherweight [Watch On ESPN+](https://www.ufc.com/ppv) [Loma Lookboonmee](/athlete/Loma-Lookboonmee)(7-2, fighting out of Phuket, Thailand) meets [Elise Reed](/athlete/elise-reed)(6-2, fighting out of Princeton, New Jersey) at strawweight [Watch On ESPN+](https://www.ufc.com/ppv)

Check out who the experts at CBS Sports are taking in the champion vs. champion showdown on Saturday.

Rodriguez Tafa Rodriguez vs. It is possible that Makhachev finds enough success with the takedowns that he catches a distracted Volkanovski on the feet -- much like he did against Charles Oliveira and Khabib Nurmagomedov did against Conor McGregor -- but that's about it. Maddalena Campbell: Will size be the difference in Makhachev defending his lightweight title or is his combination of skills and the evolution of his striking enough on its own to outduel the wizardry of Volkanovski? Tafa vs. Crute Maddalena vs. Makhachev Two of the UFC's best collide on Saturday night in a massive champion vs. Volkanovski has never lost in the UFC Octagon while going undefeated for nearly a decade in his professional career.

And they will fight each other for the UFC lightweight belt in the main event of UFC 284 in Perth, Australia. Volkanovski, the UFC featherweight champion, will ...

[Islam Makhachev](http://www.espn.com/mma/fighter/_/id/3332412/islam-makhachev) is the clear-cut No. Makhachev, 31, is the longtime training partner and friend of [Khabib Nurmagomedov](http://www.espn.com/mma/fighter/_/id/2611557/khabib-nurmagomedov), the all-time great former lightweight champion. [Alexander Volkanovski](http://www.espn.com/mma/fighter/_/id/3949584/alexander-volkanovski) is the undisputed top pound-for-pound fighter in the world. [Charles Oliveira](http://www.espn.com/mma/fighter/_/id/2504169/charles-oliveira) at UFC 280 last September via second-round submission to win the 155-pound title. [Yair Rodriguez](http://www.espn.com/mma/fighter/_/id/3155420/yair-rodriguez) will face [Josh Emmett](http://www.espn.com/mma/fighter/_/id/4011299/josh-emmett) for the interim featherweight title. In the modern era of MMA it may have never happened before, with the

There is a five-bout main card highlighted by a showdown for the UFC lightweight title between Islam Makhachev and Alexander Volkanovski. The event will air ...

The main card for UFC 284 will be live-streamed on ESPN+ PPV, which will cost $69.99 for the full card. In addition, we’re also covering the UFC 284 “Prelims” undercard bouts streaming live on ESPN and ESPN+ in a separate thread RIGHT HERE, beginning promptly at 6 p.m. The early prelims for UFC 284 will be live-streamed on UFC Fight Pass, and are free for those that pay monthly for the channel. Keep in mind that we will also be the spot for the latest news, recaps, and post-fight analysis following “Makhachev vs. Watch MMA Fighting’s UFC 284 Watch Party at 9:45 p.m. The main event will feature a high-stakes, potentially historic champion vs. MMA Fighting has a live watch party for Saturday’s UFC 284 event, which takes place at the RAC Arena in Perth, Western Australia, and serves as the promotion’s second pay-per-view of 2023. The four-fight preliminary card for UFC 284 will air on ESPN and ESPN+, and is free to all subscribers. There is a five-bout main card highlighted by a showdown for the UFC lightweight title between Islam Makhachev and Alexander Volkanovski. Alexander Volkanovski on pay-per-view If UFC President Dana White is correct, UFC 284 should be one of the biggest events in company history. The event will air across the ESPN network, with the main card broadcast via ESPN+ PPV. How to watch UFC 284 on ESPN+ PPV via live online stream.

Aussie featherweight star Jack Jenkins has emerged victorious on his UFC debut, out-pointing Don Shainis in a dominant unanimous decision victory.

It was one-way traffic in the third as Jenkins enjoyed plenty of success with the takedowns en route to a victory on the scorecards, earning two 30-27 scores and a 29-28 score. However, with less than 30 seconds to go, Jenkins then took Shainis down and almost slipped in a rear-naked choke but the American was able to squirm out of trouble as the horn sounded. Shainis managed to provide more resistance in the second round and managed to take Jenkins down to the ground and postured up in full mount. Culibao copped a brutal spinning heel kick from Baghdasaryan in the first round, with the Armenian’s heel catching the Aussie right in the Jatz crackers. In the second round, Culibao thought he copped a headbutt from Baghdasaryan but the referee did not halt the tense contest. Josh Culibao was the third Australian to secure a win in Perth with a stunning victory over Melsik Baghdasaryan.

Check out what the UFC 284 winners and guest fighters had to say backstage at Saturday's event in Perth, Australia.

Can Alexander Volkanovski make UFC history, or will Islam Makhachev end the Aussie's momentum in front family and friends? The Sporting News will provide ...

ET ET GMT The Sporting News may earn an affiliate commission through our links when you sign up for a streaming service. New subscribers can pay a bundle price of $124.98 for the UFC 284 pay-per-view and an ESPN+ annual subscription, which offers savings of more than 30 percent. and Mexico on the Makhachev and Volkanovski should make their way to the octagon around 12:15 a.m. - Main card: 10 p.m. Makhachev holds the record for least absorbed strikes (0.95) in UFC history. The strike-happy Volkanovski faces a fighter in Makhachev who barely gets touched inside the octagon. He has done it all in the featherweight division and is looking to add to his nickname of “The Great." The fight will be in Volkanovski’s home of Australia, inside the RAC Arena. At UFC 284, two of the top fighters in MMA today face off for lightweight gold.

See How The Judges Scored Every Round Of UFC 284: Makhachev vs Volkanovski, Live From RAC Arena In Perth, Western Australia.

](https://plus.espn.com/ufc/ppv?ex_cid=DSS-OFF-UFC-INARTICLE-EN) [Results, Interviews & More ](https://www.ufc.com/news/ufc-284-makhachev-vs-volkanovski-results-winner-interviews-lightweight-featherweight) [Loma Lookboonmee](https://www.ufc.com/athlete/Loma-Lookboonmee) defeats Elise Reed by Submission (Rear-Naked Choke) at 0:44 of Round 2. [UFC 284: Makhachev vs Volkanovski](/event/ufc-284), live from RAC Arena in Perth, Western Australia. [Alexander “The Great” Volkanovski](/athlete/alexander-volkanovski) will take on newly crowned UFC lightweight champion, [Islam Makhachev](/athlete/islam-makhachev) in a five round championship bout. [Alexander Volkanovski](https://www.ufc.com/athlete/alexander-volkanovski) [Watch On ESPN+](https://www.ufc.com/ppv) [Islam Makhachev](https://www.ufc.com/athlete/islam-makhachev) [Josh Emmett](https://www.ufc.com/athlete/josh-emmett) [Watch On ESPN+](https://www.ufc.com/ppv) [Yair Rodriguez](https://www.ufc.com/athlete/yair-rodriguez) [Jimmy Crute](https://www.ufc.com/athlete/jimmy-crute) [Tyson Pedro](https://www.ufc.com/athlete/tyson-pedro) [Josh Culibao](https://www.ufc.com/athlete/josh-culibao)

There are 12 fights on the card tonight in Perth, including two title fights. Follow along live with ESPN for the latest analysis and updates.

[Islam Makhachev](https://www.espn.com/mma/fighter/_/id/3332412/islam-makhachev) is the clear-cut No. Makhachev, 31, is the longtime training partner and friend of [Khabib Nurmagomedov](https://www.espn.com/mma/fighter/_/id/2611557/khabib-nurmagomedov), the all-time great former lightweight champion. [Alexander Volkanovski](https://www.espn.com/mma/fighter/_/id/3949584/alexander-volkanovski) is the undisputed top pound-for-pound fighter in the world. [Charles Oliveira](https://www.espn.com/mma/fighter/_/id/2504169/charles-oliveira) at UFC 280 last September via second-round submission to win the 155-pound title. [Yair Rodriguez](https://www.espn.com/mma/fighter/_/id/3155420/yair-rodriguez) will face [Josh Emmett](https://www.espn.com/mma/fighter/_/id/4011299/josh-emmett) for the interim featherweight title. In the modern era of MMA it may have never happened before, with the

Saturday, Feb 11, 2023 at 6:47PM. | Map. When you watch the UFC 284 live stream online tonight, you see a card that builds to a massive main event that ...

Fans in the US can watch the ISLAM MAKHACHEV vs Alexander Volkanovski Fight on ESPN+. The ISLAM MAKHACHEV vs Alexander Volkanovski online live stream begins at 2 p.m. The channel provides access to all the top channels in the US. The UFC 284 Fight can also be live-streamed on the website of ESPN. You can even order using your PlayStation or using the UFC 284 app on your Xbox Sling TV is another platform to watch the ISLAM MAKHACHEV vs Alexander Volkanovski match. The channel also has a facility to record content that has been missed to watch at a later time. Users of the Direct TV cable services can subscribe directly to the services and there are a lot of channels along with ESPN. You can also watch on the UFC 284 website or using its app. The users can watch over 65 channels to watch on your preferred device. Fight fans in the U.S. You can also purchase ESPN+ for $9.99/month and then buy UFC 284 for $79.99.

Yair Rodriguez captured the interim featherweight title with a second-round submission of Josh Emmett in the co-main event of UFC 284 on Saturday night.

Volkanovski fought in the main event Saturday night, dropping a unanimous decision to [Islam Makhachev](https://www.espn.com/mma/fighter/_/id/3332412/islam-makhachev) for the lightweight title. [Alexander Volkanovski](https://www.espn.com/mma/fighter/_/id/3949584/alexander-volkanovski) in a unification bout at a later date. [Brandon Moreno](https://www.espn.com/mma/fighter/_/id/3027545/brandon-moreno).

The main event has already been confirmed, with UFC Featherweight Champion Alexander Volkanovski set to challenge UFC Lightweight Champion Islam Makhachev, so ...

After years of campaigning from his family, friends and fans, Pulver (27-19-1) will be inducted as part of the class of 2023, the promotion announced Saturday ...

Las Vegas – UFC today announced that former UFC lightweight champion Jens Pulver will be inducted into the 2023 Class of the UFC Hall of Fame as a Pioneer.

His next title defense would take place on January 11, 2002, against future UFC Hall of Famer BJ Penn in the main event of UFC®35: THROWDOWN. Jens would compete 13 times across a number of MMA promotions over the next four years, most notably PRIDE and Shooto, before returning to UFC to face Joe Lauzon at UFC® 63: HUGHES vs. Pulver would vacate his title and leave UFC after this event. Pulver would lose his return bout against Lauzon and his next fight, a rematch against Penn as the main event of The Ultimate Fighter® Season 5 Finale. Jens would defeat Dennis Hallman via unanimous decision and become the first UFC lightweight champion to defend their title. This event would serve as the first UFC event sanctioned by the Nevada State Athletic Commission. Jens could do it all in the Octagon, and it will be an honor to induct him into the UFC Hall of Fame this summer.” Jens returned to the Octagon for his fourth UFC bout against John Lewis at UFC® 28: HIGH STAKES, which took place on November 17, 2000. The 2023 UFC Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony, presented by Toyo Tires, will take place during the 11th annual UFC International Fight Week this summer in Las Vegas and will be streamed live on UFC FIGHT PASS. Jens made his UFC debut as part of UFC® 22: ONLY ONE CAN BE CHAMPION, which took place on September 24, 1999, in Lake Charles, Louisiana. After the event, the division was renamed to lightweight, making Jens UFC’s first lightweight champion. The Pioneers Era category includes athletes who turned professional before November 17, 2000 (when the unified rules of mixed martial arts were adopted), are a minimum age of 35, or who have been retired for one year or more.

Jens Pulver, the first lightweight champion in UFC history, has been inducted into the pioneer wing of the promotion's Hall of Fame.

Nicknamed "Lil Evil," he went on to defend the title twice, against [Dennis Hallman](http://www.espn.com/mma/fighter/_/id/2488860/dennis-hallman) and [BJ Penn](http://www.espn.com/mma/fighter/_/id/2335629/bj-penn), in what was the peak of his career. He will become the 18th member of the UFC's pioneer wing, alongside two of his former teammates in Miletich and Hughes. [Caol Uno](http://www.espn.com/mma/fighter/_/id/2354243/caol-uno) at UFC 30 in Atlantic City.

Pulver started his mixed martial arts career in 1999, fighting twice in tournaments early in the year and picking up a win over future lightweight title ...

"No one will ever forget his knockout of John Lewis or his win over BJ Penn in their first fight, and his fight against Urijah Faber in 2008 was the biggest fight in WEC history at the time. Pulver would continue to compete in and outside of the Octagon at an incredible rate. The UFC's inaugural lightweight champion is officially Hall of Fame bound.

The crowd at the RAC Arena in Perth will certainly be amped for Australian native Volkanovski. The world featherweight champion capped his 2022 with a ...

A spinning back kick from Rodriguez misses but he lands a hard right hand to the head. I don't think a gassed Crute is going to have recovered with his legs back by the start of the second round. Now Makhachev staggers Volkanovski with a punch, dropping him to a knee. That was a round of two halves as Volkanovski took the first and Makhachev came on strong for the second. Another kick to the body followed by a compact right hand. Volkanovski connects on a left hand to the head. He's grappling Volkanovski on the ground now, trying to stretch him out, take his back fully and threaten a submission. Volkanovski pumps a jab from the back foot but Makhachev is stalking him and forward fighting with some pressure. Makhachev with a left moments later but Volkanovski advances and scores on a quick flurry. Makhachev grabs hold of a striking Volkanovski and takes him down. Volkanovski fires a few punches that land and now he takes stuffs a Makhachev takedown. Though Volkanovski would drop Makhachev a couple of times in the fight, he was never able to deliver additional, significant damage.

Makhachev won a unanimous decision with two judges scoring the fight 48-47 and the other 49-46.

PERTH, Australia : Islam Makhachev survived an exhausting five-round war of attrition to retain his UFC lightweight title on Sunday, scoring a unanimous ...

"I showed why I am number one, they have to improve more," Makhachev said in a post-fight interview. Volkanovski showed tremendous tenacity to counter yet another takedown attempt in the fifth round. Advertisement

Volkanovski loses unanimous decision to Islam Makhachev in Perth. It is the Wollongong fighter's first ever Octagon defeat.

A cacophony of boos rang out among the 14,000 fans as the Russian’s arm was lifted to signal the result via unanimous decision. You like, or you don’t like, I am best fighter in the world right now.” “But it was a fun fight. Wollongong-based featherweight champion Volkanovski had been vying to become just the fifth UFC fighter to hold two titles at once. I was expecting to win. Volkanovski was humble in defeat.

The Russian staked his claim as a best pound-for-pound MMA fighter in the world. Read more at straitstimes.com.

I thought he was going to be easy on the ground but this guy, he proved me wrong.” “I just need to fight some more tough guys,” he said. “Just because I pulled up short tonight doesn’t change a thing,” said Volkanovski. 1 again.” “So hard an opponent,” a breathless Makhachev said after a thrilling top of the bill contest at UFC284. “You guys have to improve more.

The next featherweight title is set, but who will the lightweight champ fight next? We look ahead after UFC 284.

[Gunnar Nelson](http://www.espn.com/mma/fighter/_/id/2968990/gunnar-nelson) on March 18 [Rafael Fiziev](http://www.espn.com/mma/fighter/_/id/4339488/rafael-fiziev) on March 18 [Brandon Moreno](http://www.espn.com/mma/fighter/_/id/3027545/brandon-moreno) became a two-time UFC flyweight champion at UFC 283, beating [Deiveson Figueiredo](http://www.espn.com/mma/fighter/_/id/4189320/deiveson-figueiredo). [Alexa Grasso](http://www.espn.com/mma/fighter/_/id/3136287/alexa-grasso) fighting next month for the UFC women's flyweight title against [Valentina Shevchenko](http://www.espn.com/mma/fighter/_/id/2554705/valentina-shevchenko) and [Irene Aldana](http://www.espn.com/mma/fighter/_/id/3136286/irene-aldana) likely up next for UFC women's bantamweight champ [Amanda Nunes](http://www.espn.com/mma/fighter/_/id/2516131/amanda-nunes). But one thing is for certain, Della Maddalena's star is on the rise. [Yair Rodriguez](http://www.espn.com/mma/fighter/_/id/3155420/yair-rodriguez) might be the most exciting fighter on the UFC roster, and he's been in that conversation for quite some time. The crushing victory set Perth's RAC Arena wild, as the 26-year-old absorbed every second of the admiration in front of the hometown crowd. But in this case, I think the storyline going in -- two prospects enter, one leaves -- would bring hype to both. Della Maddalena looks like a juggernaut early on, and if he continues on this path, he's going to rise very quickly. We've talked a lot about where Volkanovski is right now as a champion and a competitor, the confidence he's carrying, Rodriguez has that as well. The winner won't be guaranteed the next title shot because of the situation with Dariush, but he could jump the line if Dariush were to fall to Oliveira. And the best part is, he's kept all the things that made him so phenomenal to watch and channeled it into becoming an elite-level fighter.

Islam Makhachev (24-1-0) is still the undisputed UFC lightweight champion of the world after defeating Alexander Volkanovski (25-2-0) via unanimous decision ...

Even though Makhachev seemed to be more physically hurt, he controlled the pace through the first four rounds. 1 PFP fighter in the world and continue his 12-fight winning streak, but he couldn't finish the job. Unless they see a knocked out individual, nothing will convince them their fighter lost. [Volkanovski vs Makhachev: One of the five greatest fights in UFC history](https://www.marca.com/en/ufc/2023/02/11/63e78b0822601db5108b4599.html) - UFC. [Makhachev vs Volkanovski: First time UFC pits top two ranked fighters against each other](https://www.marca.com/en/ufc/2023/02/11/63e7a5eb22601d7c448b45de.html)

Makhachev has always been touted as Khabib 2.0, but his victory at UFC 284 didn't follow the blueprint.

[Max Holloway](https://www.espn.com/mma/fighter/_/id/2614933/max-holloway) and one against [Jose Aldo](https://www.espn.com/mma/fighter/_/id/2447641/jose-aldo). Makhachev was somewhat in control for most of the way, but Volkanovski was always in the fight. From here, Makhachev will look for his next lightweight challenge, and Volkanovski will head back to featherweight, the division he has ruled since 2019. He attempted nine takedowns and landed four, getting the fight to the canvas in all but the final round. And he used clinches to control stretches of the fight while standing. Even just symbolically, having the former champ not in his corner produced a tangible indication of how dissimilar a fighter Makhachev is from his longtime training partner. He was Volkanovski's equal for five high-level rounds of trading punches and kicks. So Nurmagomedov, who since retiring as a fighter had been coaching Makhachev, stepped to the microphone right after that UFC 280 main event and picked a fight. And when Makhachev had his hand raised after earning a unanimous decision, he stood front and center under the bright lights in Perth, Australia, with a group of coaches quietly applauding him from the shadows in the background. It wasn't a matter of Nurmagomedov trying to steal the spotlight. Last month, the former champ announced he was stepping away from coaching. The future had arrived for Makhachev that night, and his friend knew there was more to come -- if they made it happen.