UFC 294 Aftermath: Islam Makhachev’s Left High Kick

Islam Makhachev notched a career-defining win over Alexander Volkanovski in the main event of UFC 294. He put a definitive stamp on a matchup that was oh, so close in the first fight. With a spectacular left high kick, Makhachev made quick work of Volkanovski and can now cast his eyes on the future. In today’s Aftermath, we will be looking at the left round kick from UFC 294, beginning with the read from the first fight.

Making the read

Makhachev’s read on the left high kick was a fantastic diamond in the rough. A fighter like Volkanovski doesn’t have many holes in his game, but despite fighting southpaws like Yair Rodriguez, Max Holloway and Makhachev in their first fight, he hadn’t been able to finish off the left high kick just yet.

To say that Volkanovski doesn’t know how to stop a high kick from a southpaw is silly. Full credit goes to Makhachev for making the read and picking up that Volkanovski really doesn’t like the left kick to the body and creates an opening there for him.

Let’s rewind to the first fight. Makhachev had to deal with the switch from southpaw to orthodox and vice versa from Volkanovski all night. When he did manage to find the kick, it was when Volkanovski was in orthodox. He would either step back and Makhachev would find the kick during the switch or when Volkanovski was inching in to set up the switch.

In frame one of our first look from fight one, we are looking at a mirrored stance with (1) Volkanovski being the orthodox fighter. Makhachev steps in (2) to throw the left kick to the body. Notice how Volkanovski gets his right hand up, backs up the brace with his left hand, and (3) juts his hips back to soften the blow to the midsection as the kick lands.

Noticing this, Makhachev would draw this reaction out of Volkanovski multiple times in both fights. Scooting his hips back, lowering his hands to block the midsection while keeping his glove up just in case is the go-to for Volkanovski, who is generally the faster fighter. Makhachev is a great athlete, however, and is more than fast enough to sneak these kicks in, especially when he creates misdirection with how he sets them up.

In our second look from the first fight, (1) Volkanovski was just dropped in the pocket trying to bang it out with Makhachev. He’s squared up but in a switched stance and is slightly southpaw. Makhachev (2) steps in to kick and Volkanovski shoots his right hand up and his hips back. He doesn’t get his other hand in to assist with the block. (3) Volkanovski brings his guarding hand forward and turns into the kick as it comes, as he thinks, to the body. (4) Makhachev mixes things up and goes up high and Volkanovski squeezes his gloves up and blocks the kick just enough to negate the blow.

It was this kick that set up the rematch, though.

Makhachev’s Execution

Makhachev’s execution was the bread and butter of the rematch. He and his team found one thing that they liked from the first fight that they didn’t execute on enough. Before the knockout, Makhachev tried the same high kick and Volkanovski had the same problem. He puts his hips back, brings up his hand and swats at the kick to the body.

Before the knockout, we have to establish a few changes from both Makhachev and Volkanovski in fight two. Volkanovski didn’t switch to southpaw once. He started slow like the first time, but he didn’t give Makhachev that uncertainty from the first fight with different looks. It was clear that Volkanovski simplified his approach to the puzzle this time around.

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Makhachev used the push kick as well, something brought up in Beforemath, and planned to intercept Volkanovski on the switch. Any time he inched in, feeling like he could switch, Makhachev threw a push kick to the body to stop Volkanovski from entering cleanly.

The knockout was picture perfect. (1) We start from a mirrored stance and Makhachev steps in to throw the left kick. Volkanovski does, what we’ve talked about this whole time, raise his hand and shoot his hips back. (2) What was different was that Makhachev brought his knee up in a kyokushin style kick. Instead of moving the whole leg with the kick, Makhachev brings up his knee which could be to the body or up top. He (3) hinges at the knee and goes up top as Volkanovski goes down low to swat and block with his elbow. The hinging at the knee created just enough uncertainty in Volkanovski to get the kick through and critically hurt the Aussie champ.

At the end of the day, Volkanovski brought some ideas to the table that could have worked, should he have had time to do so, but Makhachev deserves all the credit in the world. He didn’t let the fight get that far. He went out and finished an opponent that once gave him a tough outing.

These are the types of fights that create a legacy. As close as the first fight was, it created adversity and doubt about Makhachev as the champion. To come back and put a definitive end to this rivalry, if we can call it that, puts him above the rest of the champions as someone who can adapt and not just impose his will as has been the case with the Dagestani dynasty since its inception.

Now Makhachev has his eyes set on the next challenge. It may be the Charles Oliveira rematch or the Justin Gaethje fight. He may go up and face welterweight champ Leon Edwards should he beat Colby Covington. Makhachev’s legacy is already carved out. Now it’s time for him to create the intricacies that put him a step above being just a champion.