Volk v Islam

[Vigfree]

I just rewatched the fight.
I think Islam won the first 4 rounds and Volk won round 5. Islam very clearly won rounds 1 & 4. Round 2 was Islam but not super clear. Round 3 I thought was quite close, and giving it to Volk wouldn't be a crime - but I think Islam won it.
Even round 5, Islam was winning the first 4 minutes until the last minute when Volk got him down and did some damage to close the round and win it solidly.
49-46 seems like the best card to me.

At the time the fight happened, I think everyone was surprised by how well Volk did. I know I was. I think it made the fight seem a little closer than it was. By that, I don't mean the fight wasn't contested. It was. But, a lot of people think Volk actually won. He didn't. It was a well contested fight but a relatively clear victory for Islam.

I'd watch them fight again - although I'd prefer both defend the belt vs their divisions. They each have a lot of interesting fights. But maybe if they stay champions, a rematch in 2025 (after 2 or 3 more defenses each) or something would be cool.

I also would favor Islam to perform better in a rematch due to the very short rehydration period for this fight fwiw. How much? IDK - that's why they fight.

 

[HuskySamoan]

I just rewatched the fight.
I think Islam won the first 4 rounds and Volk won round 5. Islam very clearly won rounds 1 & 4. Round 2 was Islam but not super clear. Round 3 I thought was quite close, and giving it to Volk wouldn't be a crime - but I think Islam won it.
Even round 5, Islam was winning the first 4 minutes until the last minute when Volk got him down and did some damage to close the round and win it solidly.
49-46 seems like the best card to me.

At the time the fight happened, I think everyone was surprised by how well Volk did. I know I was. I think it made the fight seem a little closer than it was. By that, I don't mean the fight wasn't contested. It was. But, a lot of people think Volk actually won. He didn't. It was a well contested fight but a relatively clear victory for Islam.

I'd watch them fight again - although I'd prefer both defend the belt vs their divisions. They each have a lot of interesting fights. But maybe if they stay champions, a rematch in 2025 (after 2 or 3 more defenses each) or something would be cool.

I also would favor Islam to perform better in a rematch due to the very short rehydration period for this fight fwiw. How much? IDK - that's why they fight.

I thought 1 and 4 were clearly Islam, 5 was clearly Volk and 2 and 3 were pretty close, I expected either 48-47 Islam or 49-46 Islam, I had it 48-47 Islam but 48-47 Volk while a stretch is not entirely unreasonable way to score it.

As for who would perform better if they fought again, I think Islam would rehydrate better with more time of course which would lead to better conditioning and strength. But I think Volk could make a significant amount of technical adjustments and preparations unlike Islam, for instance Islam's reach was drastically longer despite inaccurate measurements and Volk couldn't play his low kick and jab heavy outside game at all, I think him blitzing into the pocket and lunging into range was not part of the plan but simply what he was forced to do to be effective in real time...which being forced to always act first and close distance vs a naturally longer man who's a pure counter striker is a recipe for distanter (if you want to argue who's arms are longer there's pictures of them side by side, no chance Volk had the longer reach and Islam himself said that Volk struggled alot with his length standing). I also think the fact that Volk rocked Islam multiple times when he closed distance gives him a lot of confidence in the rematch ontop of having the superior cardio and takedown defense was way better than I expected, Volk was taking on a lot of uncharted territory while Islam had fought guys like Egoyan and Arman who were able to nullify his wrestling with similar builds to Volk before. I just don't see that many adjustments Islam makes, he's a pure counter striker who doesn't check kicks well or move his head when exchanging and an imposing grappler, Volk on the other hand could probably take more risks so long as he can get better at defending back takes, that's one of the biggest reasons Islam won, the back take in R1 and R4 closed out those rounds in a big way. I think Volk would have A LOT more confidence going into the rematch and gameplan very well.

It's a great fight but I don't care a ton to see it personally, far more interested in Volk vs Yair and then Volk vs Allen (im assuming Allen beats Holloway) if Volk hasn't lost by then, Topuria and Evloev will probably have become hot commodities and undefeated title contenders for Volk to face. Islam needs to fight Beneil, as I see it he's hardly the champion until he takes that fight, after that who knows what's next but I wouldn't be surprised if they did Chandler, Poirier or Gaethje vs Islam early 2024 and then Arman will probably be knocking on the titles door once Ramadan 2024 is over.

 

[Contempt]

I wanted Volk to win (Aussie duh) but I had it Islam 48-47.

Rematch would be fun.

 

[matrixremaster]

Islam 4 rounds to 1 as well.

Volk dominated the last minute but that's not enough to win a fight.

 

[Boevik]

Volkov was the aggressor tho, I think it's because the fight was in Australia, so that benefited him. In Dagestan or Abu Dhabi I believe Islam wins fairy easily, cause those are Islam countries.

 

[Substance Abuse]

I had it 49-46 Islam initially and 48-47 Islam on rewatch, with 49-46 for Islam not being out of the realm of possibility. Great fight. I look forward to them both trying to defend their belts a few times and possibly rematching in a year or two if they're still title holders.

 

[AL-Tappo McSnappo]

I just rewatched the fight.
I think Islam won the first 4 rounds and Volk won round 5. Islam very clearly won rounds 1 & 4. Round 2 was Islam but not super clear. Round 3 I thought was quite close, and giving it to Volk wouldn't be a crime - but I think Islam won it.
Even round 5, Islam was winning the first 4 minutes until the last minute when Volk got him down and did some damage to close the round and win it solidly.
49-46 seems like the best card to me.

At the time the fight happened, I think everyone was surprised by how well Volk did. I know I was. I think it made the fight seem a little closer than it was. By that, I don't mean the fight wasn't contested. It was. But, a lot of people think Volk actually won. He didn't. It was a well contested fight but a relatively clear victory for Islam.

I'd watch them fight again - although I'd prefer both defend the belt vs their divisions. They each have a lot of interesting fights. But maybe if they stay champions, a rematch in 2025 (after 2 or 3 more defenses each) or something would be cool.

I also would favor Islam to perform better in a rematch due to the very short rehydration period for this fight fwiw. How much? IDK - that's why they fight.

We were all surprised Islam didn't destroy him under a round, so everyone was impressed with Volk including me, but it was clear he lost on the 10-9 system.
Islam stock went down and Volk went up.

 

[Vigfree]

I thought 1 and 4 were clearly Islam, 5 was clearly Volk and 2 and 3 were pretty close, I expected either 48-47 Islam or 49-46 Islam, I had it 48-47 Islam but 48-47 Volk while a stretch is not entirely unreasonable way to score it.

As for who would perform better if they fought again, I think Islam would rehydrate better with more time of course which would lead to better conditioning and strength. But I think Volk could make a significant amount of technical adjustments and preparations unlike Islam, for instance Islam's reach was drastically longer despite inaccurate measurements and Volk couldn't play his low kick and jab heavy outside game at all, I think him blitzing into the pocket and lunging into range was not part of the plan but simply what he was forced to do to be effective in real time...which being forced to always act first and close distance vs a naturally longer man who's a pure counter striker is a recipe for distanter (if you want to argue who's arms are longer there's pictures of them side by side, no chance Volk had the longer reach and Islam himself said that Volk struggled alot with his length standing). I also think the fact that Volk rocked Islam multiple times when he closed distance gives him a lot of confidence in the rematch ontop of having the superior cardio and takedown defense was way better than I expected, Volk was taking on a lot of uncharted territory while Islam had fought guys like Egoyan and Arman who were able to nullify his wrestling with similar builds to Volk before. I just don't see that many adjustments Islam makes, he's a pure counter striker who doesn't check kicks well or move his head when exchanging and an imposing grappler, Volk on the other hand could probably take more risks so long as he can get better at defending back takes, that's one of the biggest reasons Islam won, the back take in R1 and R4 closed out those rounds in a big way. I think Volk would have A LOT more confidence going into the rematch and gameplan very well.

It's a great fight but I don't care a ton to see it personally, far more interested in Volk vs Yair and then Volk vs Allen (im assuming Allen beats Holloway) if Volk hasn't lost by then, Topuria and Evloev will probably have become hot commodities and undefeated title contenders for Volk to face. Islam needs to fight Beneil, as I see it he's hardly the champion until he takes that fight, after that who knows what's next but I wouldn't be surprised if they did Chandler, Poirier or Gaethje vs Islam early 2024 and then Arman will probably be knocking on the titles door once Ramadan 2024 is over.

Islam having better conditioning and strength would create even bigger problems for Volk grappling IMO. I think that after fighting, there are definitely specific adjustments Islam will be able to make to Volk. Both in how Volk defended grappling and in the striking. Perhaps Volk can make more adjustments as you say, but I would expect the hydration difference to still mean more than a strategic gameplan difference.
I also agree that I prefer to see other fights. But perhaps if they both defend a few more times successfully, this fight makes sense again.

 

[HuskySamoan]

Islam having better conditioning and strength would create even bigger problems for Volk grappling IMO. I think that after fighting, there are definitely specific adjustments Islam will be able to make to Volk. Both in how Volk defended grappling and in the striking. Perhaps Volk can make more adjustments as you say, but I would expect the hydration difference to still mean more than a strategic gameplan difference.
I also agree that I prefer to see other fights. But perhaps if they both defend a few more times successfully, this fight makes sense again.

Volks at the end of his prime, Islam is in the middle of his. I'm not interested in seeing a 36-37 year old Volk fighting a 32-33 Islam, personally. By the time the Volk vs Yair fight is over, Volk will be 35 and assuming Allen wins vs Max, he'll have to take that fight, so the soonest he could fight Islam he'd already he 36. You saw the stats on fighters 35 and older fighting in title bouts in UFC history right? They win only 6.7% of the time at 170lbs and lower*