Mixed Martial Arts Weekend Watch & Bet

Match information

On one hand, UFC featherweight champ Alexander Volkanovski doesn’t have a lot of time to worry about whether he prepared correctly for his rematch with Islam Makhachev at UFC 294. On the other, there will be plenty of time to worry about the consequences of his decision to fight the UFC lightweight champion on 11 days’ notice. It will be the second time Makhachev and Volkanovski have met in the Octagon. Their first meeting occurred at UFC 284 in February, when Makhachev defended his belt with a narrow decision win, dashing Volkanovski's dreams of becoming a two-division champion by the thinnest of margins. There has been talk of a rematch between the two ever since then, but it did not look like an immediate part of the UFC's plan, as Volkanovski was booked for a title defense against Yair Rodriguez in July—which he won handily—and Makhachev was matched up with Oliveira.