UFC 284 certainly lived up to expectations, thanks to Islam Makhachev and Alexander Volkanovski delivering a fight for the ages that kept everyone in Australia at the edge of their seats throughout.

Unfortunately for Volkanovski and the hometown supporters, Makhachev proved to be too much as he edged the Australian fighter in an intense five-round showdown. It was Makhachev's first defense of his lightweight title, and he didn't back down against everything that the featherweight champ threw at him.

The two traded heavy punches from start to finish, and despite the fact that Makhachev's ground game was limited in the fight, he found other ways to win. Makhachev countered really well, making life difficult for Volkanovski. In the end, the judges favored Makhachev, giving the Russian the unanimous decision win with a score of 48-47, 48-47 and 49-46.

After he fight, Islam Makhachev gave his props to Alexander Volkanovski. However, he also made sure to remind his rival who is the best fighter in the world and perhaps the true pound-for-pound king. Alexander The Great is no. 1 in the men's pound-for-pound ranking and Makhachev is no. 2, but after the latest results, the votes and opinion of fans could start swinging the other way.

“You like, or you don't like, I'm [the] best fighter in the division,” Makhachev said after UFC 284, per MMA Fighting.

Makhachev extends his win streak to 12 straight victories, while the loss is Volkanovski first defeat in the UFC and first in a decade–putting an end to his incredible 22-fight winning streak.