Makhachev says Volkanovski showing up at UFC 294 for payday: 'That's it'

Islam Makhachev and Alexander Volkanovski have different ideas about why the latter agreed to step up on 11 days' notice for their fight at UFC 294.

Makhachev, the UFC lightweight champion, and Volkanovski, the promotion's featherweight titleholder, will meet in a rematch for Makhachev's 155-pound belt Saturday in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. The two pound-for-pound greats got surprisingly testy at Thursday's prefight press conference, with Makhachev concluding that Volkanovski is showing up for nothing more than what promises to be a sizable paycheck.

"Everybody knows what you need. Just money. That's it," Makhachev said to Volkanovski.

"He (didn't) bring his belt," Makhachev said when pressed further on the matter. "I put my win streak, I put my belt (on the line)."

Volkanovski is filling in for former lightweight champion Charles Oliveira, who was scheduled to face Makhachev before withdrawing from UFC 294 due to injury on Oct. 10.

Makhachev and Volkanovski met for the first time at UFC 284 in February and delivered one of the best fights of the year. Makhachev retained the lightweight title by unanimous decision, but Volkanovski proved to be a tough test as a big underdog. That fight took place in Volkanovski's native Australia, but this time, the crowd will be on the Russian Makhachev's side as Abu Dhabi has a predominantly Muslim population.

Volkanovski rejected Makhachev's notion that he's simply looking for a lucrative payday. Instead, Volkanovski is focused on righting the wrong of UFC 284, which marked his first loss in the promotion and his first loss in almost a decade.

"I want to avenge my losses," Volkanovski said. "It burns me. I didn't get my hand raised - that hurts me. Now I have to do it on 12 days' notice."

Makhachev's thoughts about why Volkanovski took the fight could be interpreted as him disregarding the featherweight champ as a tough opponent. But Volkanovski trusts that Makhachev is aware of what awaits him at UFC 294.

"He knows I ain't going to give up," Volkanovski said. "He knows that I'm a professional, and I turn up every single time."

Volkanovski said he showed Makhachev a lot of respect in their first fight. This time, it'll be different.

"I ain't here to play it safe," Volkanovski said when asked if he expects the rematch to be another technical chess match or a thrilling finish. "I can't afford to play it safe. I'm going in for the kill, and that's it. It's kill-or-be-killed, and that's that."

Makhachev, too, plans on finishing the fight. He wants to leave no doubt he's better than Volkanovski, something he didn't quite do - at least in the eyes of many fans - at UFC 284.

"Last time, I beat him four rounds," Makhachev said. "Just (the) last round, he won. I gave him (a) chance (in the) last minute.

"But this fight, everything is going to change. I want to finish him and finish all this talk about this fight."

A few minutes later, Makhachev brought up Volkanovski's payday again. Makhachev urged him to reveal how much he'll make at UFC 294. But all Volkanovski said was that it'll be "well-deserved."

Volkanovski doubled down on the fact that Makhachev's payday narrative is false, saying he's "ready to put on a show" and backs himself "every single time."

But Makhachev wasn't buying it.

"Just make money, shut up, and go home," Makhachev said.