In the initial round, Volkanovski brought the heat, refusing to yield any ground to Makhachev. He landed a combination to Makhachev’s body and head, momentarily stunning the champion. Makhachev shook off the early setback and regained control, taking Volkanovski down against the fence. Although Makhachev dominated on the ground, he couldn’t quite secure a submission, despite being in some favorable positions.
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In the second round, Volkanovski skillfully defended Makhachev’s takedown attempts. He found success with leg kicks from a distance and powerful punches on the inside. Makhachev, however, stood his ground and strategically timed straight left hands, eventually securing a takedown towards the end of the round.
As the fight progressed into the third and fourth rounds, both fighters turned up the heat and continued to capitalize on opportunities.
