The time has finally come as we'll see our headlining bout for UFC 294 from Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi. The Lightweight (155 lb) Championship will be on the line as we see a rematch of one of the best title fights in recent memory. Lightweight Champion Islam Makhachev will defend his title against Featherweight Champion Alexander Volkanovski. You won't want to miss this rematch for the ages! Check out our UFC odds series for our Makhachev-Volkanovski prediction and pick.

Islam Makhachev (24-1) has gone 13-1 in his UFC career since 2015 en route to becoming the Lightweight Champion of the World. He cemented his position after defending the title against Volkanovski during their first meeting. Makhachev was slated to fight Charles Oliveira, but a last-minute cancellation forced the rematch to be made. Now, Makhachev has a chance to finally put this rivalry to bed with a win here. He stands 5'10” with a 70.5-inch reach.

Alexander Volkanovski (26-2) comes into this fight with a 13-1 record in the UFC. He's held the Featherweight Strap for almost four years now and just recently reclaimed it over Yair Rodriguez in a dominant performance. Now, Volkanovski will have the ultimate test in trying to become double-champion on just two week's notice. Still, if anyone's ready for a title fight a the drop of a hat, it's Alexander Volkanovski. He stands 5'6″ with a 71.5-inch reach.

Here are the UFC Odds, courtesy of DraftKings. 

UFC 294 Odds: Islam Makhachev-Alexander Volkanovski Odds

Islam Makhachev: -258

Alexander Volkanovski: +210

Over 4.5 rounds: -120

Under 4.5 rounds: -110

How to Watch Islam Makhachev vs. Alexander Volkanovski

TV: ESPN+ Pay-Per-View

Stream: ESPN+, Watch ESPN

Time: 12:00 p.m. ET/ 9:00 a.m. PT (Main Card)

*Watch sports LIVE with fuboTV (click for a free trial)*

Why Islam Makhachev Will Win

Islam Makhachev will have to pivot his game plan ahead of this fight and rematch with what was undoubtedly his toughest opponent to date. Makhachev had confidence knowing how the first meeting with Charles Oliveira played out, so this seemed to be another routine title defense for the new champion. Now, however, he'll have to revisit his first meeting with Volkanovski and tighten up the spots that he struggled with in the first fight. Makhachev was able to look surprisingly effective on the feet during their first fight as Volkanovski managed to negate some of the wrestling attacks. If Makhachev can come into this fight with an even more refined boxing skill set, we will continue to be surprised by his evolution as a striker.

The wrestling, however, didn't come as easy for Islam in the first fight and Volkanovski was able to scramble his way out of numerous bad positions on the ground. It was the first time an opponent gave Makhachev any push-back on the ground, so he'll be looking to once again prove his dominance in the wrestling. Islam Makhachev has the confidence of a full training camp and he's looking to be peaking at the perfect time ahead of this fight. If he can show some growth from his last fight and trust in his preparation, he should be able to get the job done once again.

Why Alexander Volkanovski Will Win

If Alexander Volkanovski is able to step into this fight on two week's notice and take the belt from Islam Makhachev, it'll go down as one of the greatest achievements in MMA and could cement Volkanovski as the MMA GOAT. During their first meeting, it was extremely impressive to see how Volk was able to stuff Makhachev's takedowns and find his way out of wrestling scrambles. He was surely surprised by Makhachev's proficiency on the feet, but it was clear that Volkanovski was confident in grappling with Makhachev. By the fifth round, Volkanovski was able to find the chin and was en route to possibly finishing the fight just prior to the final bell. In this contest, Alexander Volkanovski should feel confident in knowing he took Makhachev's best and threw it right back at him during the first fight.

Obviously, stepping in on short notice will be a massive disadvantage for Volk in this one. He's in shape year-round and he won't be coming straight off the couch ahead of this fight, but there's always a desire to have a full camp underneath you before heading into a massive title fight. With the way these two pushed a frantic pace in their first meeting, expect Volkanovski to be a bit more patient this time around. He's famous for killing opponents with his cardio and output, but he may want to save himself in the first round or two of this fight. Later on, we'll see that Volkanovski will settle into a striking rhythm and once again try to make this a long night for Makhachev in all areas of the fight.

Final Islam Makhachev-Alexander Volkanovski Prediction & Pick

This is going to be an awesome rematch between two of the best fighters in the sport, but it would be that much better if we could see both of these guys get a full camp. Still, there's no excuses in fighting and Alexander Volkanovski comes in fully expecting to become double-champ. He did a tremendous job stuffing the takedowns during the first fight, but it was clear that Volk was heavily carried by his insane cardio. It'll be interesting to see if he pushes the same kind of pace in this one, but expect him to fully turn it up by the championship rounds.

Islam Makhachev will have his best training camp ahead of this title fight and he's fully aware of what he has to improve to beat Volkanovski. He wasn't happy with his first performance and he certainly looked worn down by the end of it. Expect Makhachev to be much more aggressive in his wrestling and don't be surprised if he finds more success this time around. I expect Islam Makhachev to get a submission and finish this fight. The circumstances aren't ideal, but the training and preparation for Makhachev will prove to be the difference in this rematch.

Final Islam Makhachev-Alexander Volkanovski Prediction & Pick: Islam Makhachev (-258); Wins by Submission (+300)