The UFC’s second PPV for 2023 takes place this weekend from the RAC Arena in Perth, Australia. The UFC 284 main event sees Australian Alexander Volkanovski, the UFC Featherweight Champion and #1 pound-for-pound fighter, challenge for the UFC Lightweight Championship against Islam Makhachev, the #2 pound-for-pound fighter and current Champion.

Volkanovski falls short but proves greatness: Read our thoughts from UFC 284 here.

In his home country PPV, Volkanovski seeks to become only the 5th ever UFC simultaneous champion (AKA double champ), following Conor McGregor, Daniel Cormier, Amanda Nunes and Henry Cejudo. Most recently, Israel Adesanya sought double champ status in a losing effort against then-UFC Light Heavyweight Champion Jan Blachowicz.

Read Part 1 of our Top 10 fights to look forward to in 2023, including the UFC 284 main event between Islam Makhachev vs. Alexander Volkanovski.

The UFC 284 co-main event features a bout for the interim UFC Featherweight Championship between exciting strikers Yair Rodriguez and Josh Emmett.

Find our breakdown of the UFC 284 main event below.

Islam Makhachev defends his UFC Lightweight Championship for the first time at UFC 284. Makhachev claimed the title by defeating Charles Oliveira via second-round submission at UFC 280.

Makhachev entered the UFC in 2015 at 11-0, winning his debut but being finished in his second UFC bout. Since that loss, he has built up an 11-fight win streak and risen to being a UFC champion.

Many have long believed that Makhachev was a future champion. Like his mentor Khabib Nurmagomedov, Makhachev has always possessed the acclaimed Dagestani grappling pedigree. But he also had a level of striking ability that Khabib did not.

In 2020, Abdulmanap Nurmagomedov, Khabib’s father and long-time coach, passed away. Khabib made one more title defence against Justin Gaethje and then retired, putting into place ‘Father’s plan’. Khabib was always going to retire at the top of the sport, with the plan to move into coaching and allow Makhachev an opportunity to become UFC Champion.

Everything went to plan, with Makhachev rising to a UFC Champion while Khabib was in his corner; following his title win at UFC 280, Makhachev called out Volkanovski, who weighed in as the backup, offering to fight the best fighter in the sport in his own country of Australia.

Alexander Volkanovski, from Shellharbour, New South Wales, entered the UFC in 2017 with a record of 13-1, with his only loss in his 4th pro bout, and at 170 pounds.

Volkanovski has not lost since, riding a 12-fight UFC win streak. Volkanovski earned a title shot by defeating the 2023 UFC Hall of Fame inductee and long-time UFC Featherweight Champion Jose Aldo. He then claimed the Championship in a close decision win over Max Holloway.

Volkanovski climbed to being the #1 P4P fighter in the UFC by dominantly defending his title against Max Holloway twice, Brian Ortega and The Korean Zombie. Like many others, Volkanovski looks to move up a weight division and cement his legacy by becoming a two-division UFC Champion.

Volkanovski has arguably the best striking in the UFC. He has dominated legendary strikers in Max Holloway and Jose Aldo. Volkanovski has also utilised wrestling effectively to round out his MMA skill set.

Makhachev has arguably the best wrestling and grappling in the UFC, combined with a solid level of striking. He won the title by knocking down and submitting Charles Oliveira, who holds the UFC records for most finishes and submissions.

While both men are, as expected of the best in the world, well-rounded mixed martial artists, the path to victories do seem clear. Makhachev will likely look to strike, to secure a takedown and win by submission. In contrast, Volkanovski will hope to defend the Makhachev takedowns and utilise precision striking from a distance.

This is one of the biggest fights of all time and a tough one to pick. Makhachev is the logical pick, but Volkanovski has been beating the odds his whole life. The UFC 284 main event sees a once-in-a-lifetime matchup that will go down in the history books, whoever wins.

Volkanovski falls short but proves greatness: Read our thoughts from UFC 284 here.