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Islam Makhachev erased any doubt from his first fight with Alexander Volkanovski.
The two champions fought for the title of best fighter in the world at UFC 284 in February. Volkanovski kept his No. 1 ranking in the UFC despite losing by unanimous decision.
Makhachev faced his toughest challenge yet in a rematch at UFC 294 last Saturday.
He took the fight on short notice and stunned the lightweight champion with a head kick and punches that knocked him out in just over three minutes. He did not get the No. 1 spot, which belongs to heavyweight champion Jon Jones. But Daniel Cormier, Jones’ former rival and Makhachev’s old teammate, was there to witness the fight and praised him.
“Nobody expected this outcome,” Cormier said on his YouTube channel. “But Islam did it. We talk about pound-for-pound, we talk about being the best, and I think Islam Makhachev showed that he is the best because he beat the best. I say that because of the respect that I and many others have for Alexander Volkanovski.
“Alexander Volkanovski is a beast and the way Islam beat him shows that he is the best in the world.”
Jones has only fought once in his new heavyweight division, winning the title by choking out Ciryl Gane in two minutes at UFC 285 in March. He will defend his title against Stipe Miocic at UFC 295 in Madison Square Garden next month. Jones is widely regarded as one of the best ever, but Makhachev’s legacy is growing fast with two wins over a great champion like Volkanovski.