Israel Adesanya gives his official prediction for Islam Makhachev vs. Alexander Volkanovski 2

Islam Makhachev will defend his lightweight title against Alexander Volkanovski on Saturday at UFC 294. Their bout will be a rematch of their UFC 284 clash, which saw Makhachev score a unanimous decision win over 'The Great' in a hard-fought battle widely regarded as one of the finest-ever displays of MMA skills.

However, many felt that Alexander Volkanovski had done enough to win, including close friend and frequent training partner Israel Adesanya.

The former middleweight champion has expressed confidence that Volkanovski will win the rematch. He took to YouTube to make his official prediction for the fight.

Echoing Alexander Volkanovski's prediction, Israel Adesanya stated on his FREESTYLEBENDER YouTube channel that he sees a knockout in the featherweight kingpin's favor inside three rounds:

"I already have this vision in my mind, where I just... 'SLEEP! SLEEP!' I'm excited, this is what makes the UFC great. This is what makes champions like Alexander Volkanovski 'The Great', because they rise up to occasions, when all the odds are stacked against them, and they f**king shut it down and shut people up. So, Volkanovski, third-round stoppage."

Check out the video below (18:48):

It is a bold prediction, especially given all of the factors working against Alexander Volkanovski this time. He will step inside the octagon with suboptimal fitness, not drilled to carry out an in-depth game plan, and an Islam Makhachev who will have a much larger rehydration window than he did in Australia back in February.

The shorter rehydration period in Australia saw Makhachev step inside the cage weighing nearly as much as Volkanovski, whereas the Dagestani phenom is usually much closer to 180 pounds. This could have significant implications in the pair's grappling sequences.

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Islam Makhachev responds to Colby Covington's call for a welterweight title fight

Colby Covington is nothing if not confident. He believes wholeheartedly that he will triumph over Leon Edwards come UFC 296 and capture the welterweight strap. Ahead of the bout, he has called for a future title fight with Islam Makhachev, whom he has accused of avoiding difficult matchups against fighters his own size.

This drew Makhachev's response. Having previously expressed an interest in competing for welterweight gold, Makhachev welcomed Covington's challenge. However, a bout may only be on the table if he defeats Volkanovski and defends his title, once or twice, against contenders in his division.