If you're ever trying to decide which fights to show a new MMA fan, make sure to add Islam Makhachev and Alexander Volkanovski's February 2023 showdown to the list. It wasn't just one of the best fights of the year, but one of the best fights ever.

Even weeks out from fight night, Makhachev and Volkanovski's UFC 284 matchup had the luster of something truly special.

Makhachev had recently claimed the lightweight title with an effortless submission win over living legend in Charles Oliveira, and with 11 straight wins behind him, was drawing frequent and justified comparisons to his undefeated mentor Khabib Nurmagomedov.

Volkanovski, meanwhile, was considered the sport's top pound-for-pound talent, and after four impressive featherweight title defenses, had been granted the opportunity to challenge the much larger Makhachev for a second belt. The fact that he was getting the opportunity on home soil in Australia only added to the stakes.

In terms of the technical details of the matchup, the overwhelming consensus was that Makhachev, arguably the best grappler in MMA right now, needed to get the fight to the ground. Volkanovski, on the other hand, was expected to have an advantage on the feet, despite being the shorter fighter.

In the end, the pair contradicted all expectations. In the opening round, Makhachev hurt Volkanovski with a punch, and continued to land on the feet throughout the fight. And while Volkanovski was taken down four times, he denied five of Makhachev's attempts, and controlled a meaningful portion of the bout with his own grappling. He even finished the fight on top, raining down strikes. Both men showed extreme proficiency in every aspect of the MMA toolkit, and no fear of the other's perceived strengths.

The decision ultimately went to Makhachev, but the fight was so competitive that the Australian remained the UFC's pound-for-pound king in the aftermath–at least, until he was knocked out by Makhachev in their short-notice October rematch, but that's neither here nor there.

We're here to talk about their first fight, and there's no debating its status as a modern masterpiece of MMA.