“I am different from Jung Chan-sung. I don’t go head-on like that.”
UFC lightweight champion Islam Makhachev (31, Russia) mentioned ‘Korean Zombie’ Chan-sung Jeong. UFC 284 will be held in Perth, Australia on the 12th (Korean time).
Makhachev will face featherweight champion Alexander Volkanovski (35, Australia) in his first defense. Volkanovski moves up one weight class to win two weight divisions.
At the official press conference held at Face Off on the 10th, Makachev said, “I have a different style from Volkanovski’s past opponents. I am different from Chansung Jung. I don’t go head-on like that,” he summoned Jeong Chan-sung.
Jung Chan-sung went against Volkanovski in his third defense at UFC 274 held last year, but he allowed countless punches and lost by TKO in the fourth round.
Volkanovski was no exception to Max Holloway, who was considered one of the greatest fighters in featherweight history. Volkanovski defeated Holloway three times. In particular, the third game held in July of last year was the difference between the level of an adult and a child.
But Makhachev sees himself on a different level than Volkanovski’s past opponents. He said, “I’m different from Holloway, who just followed Volkanovski around. I have other plans, and I always finish my opponents according to my plans,” he exclaimed.
The other plan is expected to be grappling. Raised in a mountain village in the Republic of Dagestan in the Russian Federation, Makachev wrestled and trained in sambo with former 29-fight and undefeated UFC champion Khabib Nurmagomedov at the age of eight. With grappling at the forefront, Makachev won a gold medal at the World Sambo Championships in 2016 and became the UFC lightweight champion in 2022.
Makachev is currently rated as the best grappler in the UFC. He boasts the highest takedown success rate (66.7%) in UFC lightweight history and controls his opponent from top position for nearly half of his entire fight time (46.3%). He is also excellent in ground decision-making and has recorded 6 submission victories. 온라인바카라
However, he declared that this time he would KO instead of submit. Makachev said, “This time, KO is the goal. Because Volkanovski is a great striker. I will KO him and become No. 1 in the overall ranking.”
