Featherweight champion Alex Volkanovski stepped up on super-short notice to battle defending lightweight titleholder Islam Makhachev in the UFC 294 pay-per-view (PPV) main event last weekend in Abu Dhabi, following an untimely injury to Charles Oliveira.
It did not end well for the Aussie.
Volkanovski was stopped by way of first-round knockout (watch the highlights here), marking his second unsuccessful attempt to capture the 155-pound crown after dropping a close decision to Makhachev in the UFC 284 headliner back in Feb. of this year.
It was a tough watch for ex-middleweight champion Israel Adesanya.
“F*CK!” Adesanya blurted out after Volkanovski hit the canvas. “F*ck … it was a left kick from southpaw. Went over the head, just clipped him. I think he caught him with it in the first fight maybe … yeah, he did. Still the best, bro. I love this dude. F*ck. Still the best.”
Adesanya is a longtime friend and training partner of Volkanovski.
Safe to assume it was equally difficult for Volkanovski to watch Adesanya lose his middleweight title to Sean Strickland at UFC 293 last month in Sydney. Fortunately for “The Great,” he retains his featherweight strap and hopes to return in early 2024.
This story originally appeared on MMA Mania
