Later tonight, at UFC 294, Islam Makachev and Alexander Volkanovski will look to produce another fight for the ages, and we’re telling you exactly how to watch the action.
In a brutal war of attrition that left fans around the world watching on the edge of their seats, the two sporting titans went toe-to-toe in a bout that will live long in the memory.
Over the course of five rounds, both men displayed incredible courage and an unrelenting will to win, which saw the two legends make it to the final bell, in a contest that would’ve folded even the grittiest of warriors.
After 25 minutes of sporting brilliance, the verdict split the public down the middle. With the decision balanced on a knife edge, the judges opted for Makhachev, much to the annoyance of Volkanovski.
Ultimately, both men believe they have the beating of the other, giving tonight’s contest a real sense of anticipation. And in an interview with Casino Alpha, the lightweight champion’s coach, Javier Mendez, gave a fascinating insight.
He said: “The deciding factor in Islam winning is cardio and maintaining that cardio because that’s what happened last time. We were winning all the rounds until the last bit. Another deciding factor is that last time, Volk weighed two pounds heavier than Islam. Islam weighed two pounds less because he had 12 hours less to rehydrate. If Islam had more time to rehydrate, another 12 hours, what weight could he have been? He could have been maybe four or five pounds heavier; could that have made the difference? Maybe. He will be heavier this time. Guarantee that. He will be heavier than Volk.
“Islam was winning everywhere last time, but he ran out of steam. He ran out of energy, so Volk was able to turn him over. If it weren’t for that, he wouldn’t have got him. Islam hit the wall. This time, he’s going to have an extra 12 hours to hydrate; I believe that’s going to be a big factor. We had 24 hours in Australia, but here, we will have 36 hours to rehydrate. And remember, Islam was not a small guy. He’s a decent size guy, so he wasn’t at full capacity.”
With that said, fans are positively salivating, as they await to find out whether Volkanovski can upset the applecart. So, without further ado, here’s how you can watch the violence unfold.
How to watch UFC 294
The card, which takes place at Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi in front of a pro-Makhachev crowd, will be available to watch via TNT Sports.
UFC 294: UK start time
While British fans are used to setting their alarms at an obscene time in the morning, on this occasion, due to the event taking place in the Middle East, MMA enthusiasts can enjoy the fights at prime time.
That’s right, the UK public can settle down at 7 PM, for a headline attraction, which is scheduled to commence at 11 PM.
UFC 294: Full Card
- MAIN EVENT: Islam Makhachev vs Alexander Volkanovski – for UFC lightweight title
- Kamaru Usman vs Khamzat Chimaev – UFC middleweight title eliminator
- Magomed Ankalaev vs Johnny Walker
- Ikram Aliskerov vs. Warlley Alves
- Said Nurmagomedov vs Muin Gafurov
Preliminary card
- Tim Elliott vs Muhammad Mokaev
- Mohammad Yahya vs Trevor Peek
- Javid Basharat vs Victor Henry
- Abu Azaitar vs Sedriques Dumas
- Mike Breeden vs Anshul Jubli
- Nathaniel Wood vs Muhammad Naimov
- Victoria Dudakova vs Jinh Yu Frey
- Sharabutdin Magomedov vs Bruno Silva
Featured Image Credit: UFC