Everything was different this time. Islam Makhachev successfully defended his UFC lightweight championship Saturday night in a performance that did not resemble the victory last October that earned him the belt.
On this night, Makhachev mostly stood and traded punches to win his superfight against featherweight champ Alexander Volkanovski in the main event of UFC 284. And when Makhachev had his hand raised after earning a unanimous decision, he stood front and center under the bright lights in Perth, Australia, with a group of coaches quietly applauding him from the shadows in the background.