Islam Makhachev sealed his claim as one of the pound-for-pound best fighters in the world, defeating Alexander Volkanovski by unanimous decision to retain his lightweight championship Saturday night in the main event of UFC 284 in Perth, Australia.
Down on all three scorecards entering the final round, Volkanovski rocked Makhachev with a big right hand in the final minute and ended the fight raining down strikes from top position, but it wasn't enough.
The judges scored it 48-47, 48-47 and 49-46.
Volkanovski, the UFC's featherweight champ, was vying to become the fifth fighter in the promotion's history to hold two titles simultaneously, joining Amanda Nunes, Henry Cejudo, Daniel Cormier and Conor McGregor.