UFC 294 LIVE: Volkanovski vs Makhachev – fight results after shock KO

Makhachev: “I showed him first a couple of low and body kicks, then I changed to a high kick. This is something we trained for a couple months – for Oliveira, and nothing changed here.”

The Russian also thanks Volkanovski and pays tribute to the featherweight king.

Islam Makhachev def. Alexander Volkanovski via first-round KO (head kick and hammer fists, 3:06).

“Congratulations,” Volk tells Islam after the result is declared.

No disputing it now; Islam is the pound-for-pound No 1. Jon Jones’s past indiscretions with performance-enhancing substances count against him, in our list.

The fighters embrace.

Makhachev tells Daniel Cormier at ringside: “I told you, I told everybody.”

He did. His left shin skimmed off Volk’s head and dropped the Aussie, who could not defend against the ensuing onslaught of hammer fists.

Somewhere in that flurry, Volk was cut badly across his eyebrow – I believe.

Round 1

Hard left hook lands clean to the head of Volk! But he seems unfazed.

OH! A HEAD KICK WOBBLES AND DROPS VOLK, AND MAKHACHEV POURS ON HAMMER FISTS!

AND THE REFEREE STEPS IN! WOWWWWWW!

Volk’s face is a bloody mess!

Round 1

A touch of gloves and we’re under way. Volk stands orthodox; Makhachev stands southpaw and kicks low early.

Lots of jab feints from both men, with Makhachev pressing forward. Volk said he wants an early finish; he doesn’t want to test his gas tank as Usman had to against Chimaev.

Now Volk kicks low but is caught on the end of a jab. Makhachev almost lands a head kick, then kicks to the body. Now the Russian shoots for a double-leg takedown, but he’s denied!

“Uh-uh,” says Volk as he defends it. The Aussie is forced back to the fence, though, but he reverses the position and fires off punches.

The pair grapple across the ring, with Makhachev landing a knee in the Thai clinch. Now they separate.

“Let ‘em boo. I do my best work when they boo,” Volkanovski says, smiling as Bruce Buffer introduces him.

Makhachev is more stoic as he’s introduced.

Here, we, go!!!

Now here comes the defending champion, to a very favourable reaction as expected.

Makhachev vs Volkanovski, Round 6, is moments away...

And here comes Volkanovski to the sound of “Down Under” by Men At Work – as always!

“I’m coming for it all, baby,” the Australian tells the camera before emerging in front of a pro-Makhachev crowd.

So, eight months after Islam Makhachev outpointed Alexander Volkanovski in a fiercely competitive lightweight-title clash, the pair meet in the Octagon again.

Whatever happens tonight, Volkanovski will remain the featherweight champion, but can he leave Abu Dhabi as the fifth dual-weight champion in UFC history?

His performance against Makhachev in February suggested that he has what it takes to get past the Russian, but he’s fighting on 11 days’ notice here.

The ring walks are moments away.

Chimaev calls for a stop to the violence in Israel and Palestine, pays tribute to Usman, and receives his jiu-jitsu brown belt. What a moment.