UFC 294 FIGHTER PREDICTIONS: Israel Adesanya and Gilbert Burns back Alexander Volkanovski to shock the world… but Michael Bisping and Muhammad Mokaev tip Islam Makhachev to win yet again, while Jon Jones is on the fence

• Islam Makhachev is a big favourite to retain his lightweight title this weekend 
• He is scheduled to fight featherweight champion Alexander Volkanovski 
• Volkanovski stepped in on 11 days’ notice after Charles Oliveira pulled out 

Alexander Volkanovski will be out for revenge this weekend when he faces lightweight king Islam Makhachev at UFC 294 in Abu Dhabi. 

The pair went face-to-face at UFC 284 earlier this year in what was a close contest. Makhachev triumphed on the scorecards, with the challenger desperate to become a two-division champion.

Makhachev was due to fight Charles Oliveira, but the Brazilian was forced to pull out of the main event due to a cut he suffered in sparring.

Given how the first fight between the pair played out, many UFC stars have a split opinion on who they think will get the job done in the epic main event this weekend. 

Former middleweight champion and team-mate of Volkanovski, Israel Adesanya, predicts the featherweight king will shock the world and get the job done this time. 

Alexander Volkanovski and Islam Makhachev will go head-to-head for a second time this weekend

The lightweight champion won the first outing via decision earlier this year – with Volk desperate to level the series

‘When I was watching that fight live, you could see him getting more confident,’ Adesanya said on his YouTube channel. ‘He just knew like, “This is it”. Then he just put it on him.

‘What I’m really feeling is that this is his moment where he does this with the cojones he does this with and finishes Makhachev and it sends him into a different stratosphere where everyone has to respect. Like yo, he is that dude. Volk is that guy. He knows he can get it done.’

The ‘Last Stylebender’ is adamant that his team-mate won’t get tired if the fight were to head into the championship rounds. Volkanovksi has shown on several occasions that he is capable of going the full 25 minutes and still be able to perform at the highest level.

‘Now he knows what he brings,’ Adesanya said. ‘”This guy can take me down? He can’t keep me down. I can get back up and f*** him up”. So, now he knows what to do and he doesn’t have to worry about “I need to last with this guy. Only 11 days, cool. I been on the couch, cool”.

‘When it gets to the fourth and fifth round, watch Volk not get tired. I don’t think it’s gonna get that long. I honestly think third round, maybe even second round, but I think third round, Volk’s gonna finish him. Catch him with a shot, drop him, and ground and pound him to a finish. If he submits him, that would be f*****g insane but I think Volk’s gonna catch him and drop him and finish him.’

Top welterweight contender Gilbert Burns is also rooting for the Aussie star this weekend.

‘I think Volkanovski is not ready, but the guy is still an animal. I think he’s going to start putting a lot of pressure, doing the combos and things that worked in the first fight,’ the Brazilian said on his official YouTube channel.

‘He knows he can get up, he might not give up the back and I think he will make those correct adjustments. I’ve just got to go on the underdog. It’ll be a close fight, but I’ve got to go with Volk for the win and the upset.’

UFC light-heavyweight contender Modestas Bukauskas is also confident that the 145lb star can move up a division and win: ‘I got Volkanovski for this one, it was a close fight and I think he knows he can go at Makhachev and not be worried about his wrestling.’ 

Gilbert Burns (left) and Israel Adesanya (right) are both backing Volkanovski to win this weekend

Featherweight prospect Nathaniel Wood has praised Volkanovski for taking the fight on such short notice

Nathaniel Wood is full of praise for Volkanovski for taking the fight on such short notice.

The Brit, who is also competing at UFC 294, is hoping the Aussie native gets it done in Abu Dhabi.

‘He’s a beast mate, you know, I believe that he’s the number one pound for pound fighter in the world right now,’ Wood said to Mail Sport.

‘So, it’s an honour to be in the same weight category as him, you know, and I like to think that he, alongside myself are proving that it’s not always about the weight, the smaller guys can still be the heavier guys. There’s a lot of advantages to being smaller, whether that’s the speed, whether that’s the ability to focus on your opponent, as opposed to just purely getting on the scales. 

‘So yeah, I hope he gets the job done on Saturday night.’

While several stars in the roster are confident that Volkanovski can get it done on short notice, there are still a few who think that the 155lb champion will retain his title in the rematch.

Speaking to Mail Sport, flyweight sensation Muhammad Mokaev is backing Islam to win, but reveals it won’t be easy for the Russian.

‘UFC 294 is actually more interesting now than the original card. I think Khamzat will win and Islam will win,’ he said.

Muhammad Mokaev is backing Islam Makhachev to get the job done this weekend in Abu Dhabi 

‘For Islam it won’t be easy because Volkanovski has nothing to lose and that could play mentally to Islam.

‘Volkanovski was training, because I know his team. He had like four weeks of training after his operation but he’s not over-trained, he’s got nothing to worry about but Islam would have been preparing for five rounds so I’m going for him.’

Lightweight Kyle Nelson tips Islam to secure his 13th win in a row against Volk, but is gutted that the featherweight star didn’t get a full camp for the bout. 

‘I think Islam Makhachev wins by decision. I love the rematch, I just wish Volkanovski had a full camp,’ he said.

Former UFC middleweight champion is also picking Makhachev, but expects Volkanovski to give him issues early on. 

‘It’s going to be a close fight. I think if Volkanovski wins, it’ll be via a stoppage in rounds one or two,’ Bisping told Manchester Evening News. 

‘If he doesn’t get a stoppage early, I think he’ll start to fade and get a little bit tired, just simply because he has taken it on short notice.

Popular UFC commentator and former UFC champion, Michael Bisping, believes Makhachev will win after a ‘tough couple of opening rounds’

‘If he gets tired, Islam will take over. It will either be an early stoppage from Volk – the odds aren’t in his favour – so Makachev probably gets the job done after a tough couple of opening rounds, more than likely.’

Some stars appear to be on the fence with regards to the outcome of Makhachev’s second defence of his title against Volk. 

Current heavyweight champion Jon Jones has chipped in and given his thoughts on this weekend’s epic main event. It is fair to say that ‘Bones’ has decided to remain neutral.

Responding to a fan on X, formerly known as Twitter, regarding the outcome of the bout, ‘Bones’ posted: As far as the fight, may the best man win. I was just talking about in life. Islam made some negative comments recently. No need for me to respond with negativity. I have bigger fish to fry right now. 

Heavyweight champion Jon Jones has wished both men well ahead of their highly-anticipated rematch

Volkanovski will be itching to become a two division champion for the first time in his UFC career

Bones’ post was in response to his earlier post, which read: ‘I wish you all the best Habibi @MAKHACHEVMMA.’

No 1 light-heavyweight contender Jamahal Hill has also decided to remain neutral regarding the outcome of the main event. 

‘I think it’s a good fight. I think he (Volkanovski) wanted to run it back, maybe he didn’t get the time he wanted to prepare for the fight, but he got the opportunity,’ he said.

‘Volk doesn’t feel like he lost. A lot of people feel like Volk didn’t lose. That (first) win over him doesn’t mean anything. He’s still the same dangerous fighter he was the first time.’

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