Alexander Volkanovski doubts Islam Makhachev will actually look for KO win: “Him coming looking for a knockout, that’s an unnecessary risk”

Alexander Volkanovski isn’t sure Islam Makhachev will actually strike with him.

Volkanovski is set to move up to lightweight to fight for the title against Islam Makhachev in the main event of UFC 284. In the lead-up to the scrap, Makhachev has been critical of Volkanovski’s wrestling, while also saying he is gunning for the KO.

“Honestly, I want to knock him out, because everybody says Islam is a grappler or wrestler, but I want to show people my striking,” Makhachev told ESPN Deportes about his fight with Volkanovski. “He is a short guy, and I really believe I can knock him out. This is not his area. I’m from other division. This is not the same power. It’s not the same, and he’s going to understand this, but he wants to try because he’s not losing. If he loses, what is he going to lose? Just belt with him, but he wants to try to jump and make some good money, make some pay-per-view money, but this is not his area.”

Although Makhachev is gunning for the KO, Volkanovski doesn’t think that will be his plan. Instead, he believes Makhachev will fight smart and go to his usual plan of wrestling.

“He’s a very calculated fighter,” Volkanovski told reporters at media day (via MMAJunkie). “He doesn’t take unnecessary risks. Him coming looking for a knockout, that’s an unnecessary risk. He won’t be doing that… I don’t know about that, I think he’s more calculated. Unnecessary risk, that’s probably what he’s better at. He doesn’t overcommit too much. He does sometimes, but he will fight on the back foot and wait for the right time to shoot and things like that. His distance game isn’t too bad. So little things like that he does well. Like I said, he’s calculated.”

As of right now, it’s hard to say whether or not Islam Makhachev will actually look for the KO against Alexander Volkanovski. However, the Aussie is confident he will be able to keep it standing and get the upset win that way.

Do you think Islam Makhachev will stand with Alexander Volkanovski?