Islam Makhachev slams Dana White and the UFC for huge fail over Alex Volkanovski super fight

Lightweight champion Islam Makhachev has lashed out at the UFC, accusing boss Dana White of putting his big fight with Alexander Volkanovski on the back burner.

The fight at UFC 284 in Perth next Sunday will determine the pound-for-pound king of the Octagon, with the Australian seeking to join an extremely select group of fighters who have won belts at two weights.

Fight fans the world over will be glued to their screens for the fight and the venue has sold out, but Makhachev is seriously disappointed with the build-up to what he sees as one of the biggest matchups of his career.

“I see that it is not such a big promotion,” he told R-Sport Russia.

Dana White himself has some issues. He doesn’t pay much attention to this fight. In pay-per-view terms, yes, more could have been done.

Despite meeting for the title of the UFC pound-for-pound king in just over a week, Makhachev and Volkanovski have only met once to promote the fight (pictured)

The Russian lightweight champion criticized UFC supremo Dana White (pictured) for putting the mega fight on the back burner: “He doesn’t pay much attention to this fight”

‘I only saw Volkanovski once, in Sydney. A world tour could be organized, a conference could be held in the United States.

Fight fans were quick to agree with him online.

“If it’s not Usman, Jones or Mcgregor, Dana doesn’t care about you,” wrote one commenter.

“@danawhite is too busy promoting slap contests,” said another, referring to the UFC boss’s widely criticized new Power Slap League.

They have used this tactic many times before. @ufc @danawhite will not be promoting the fight at all, then using the low PPV sales as leverage to not pay them as much,” wrote a third fan of the fight.

Makhachev (pictured punching Charles Oliveira last October) is unconcerned by the fact that his good friend and fellow Dagestani Khabib Nurmagomedov will not be in his corner in Perth.

Volkanovski (pictured in his June 2022 win over Max Holloway) will be a major underdog when he enters the Octagon at UFC 284

Makhachev and Volkanovski may have only met once in the promotion, but they clashed in an interview with former UFC light heavyweight and heavyweight champion Daniel Cormier, and the full video will be released on Monday.

The Australian, who pundits have indicated will have trouble with his opponent’s excellent takedown and grappling skills, laughed off the Russian’s claim that his country does not produce fighters.

‘Australia doesn’t have wrestling. that’s why I don’t care [about Volkanovski’s ground game]’ he said as Cormier burst out laughing.

‘Alex, if you’re a good fighter and have a good defense, you can go, brother. [to] the Australian Olympics.

“Dude, I was actually a national champion,” Volkanovski replied, referring to the title he won in Greco-Roman wrestling at the age of 12 after training in the sport from a young age.

“You have to compete in the Olympics,” Makhachev said.

The Russian told his opponent that Australia has never produced good fighters in a video link that also featured former UFC heavyweight champion Daniel Cormier.

Volkanovski laughed at the comment, reminding his foe that he was once a national champion in Greco-Roman wrestling after training in the sport from a young age.

“Like you said, this is MMA, so you have to remember that we all know that your hope is to try to grab and hold me,” Volkanovski replied.

But if that doesn’t work in your favor, we know how uncomfortable you’re going to feel.

This week, the 31-year-old said he was not concerned by the fact that Octagon icon Khabib Nurmagomedov will not be in the corner for the fight because his compatriot Dagestan had already given him a plan to beat the Australian.

“I fought a couple of times without him in my corner,” Makhachev said.

‘He gave me good support for this fight. We talked about this fight. He gave me the plan. I have to fight, so we’ll see.’