Now in his second championship run, the 38-year-old will earn a record ninth win in UFC featherweight title fights if he triumphs against the Russian.
While he is not a knockout artist or submission specialist and does not overwhelm opponents with his wrestling, the Australian put on a masterclass to regain his belt before repeating the performance in February to cement his place as the promotion's featherweight king.
After reclaiming his throne at featherweight, winning a belt in a second division remains one of the few things Volkanovski is yet to tick off in the UFC, having twice failed to become a two-division champion with both defeats coming against Makhachev.
The statistics and history books are weighing heavier than ever in his favour, backed by world-class footwork, distance management, boxing, and cardio that have helped him dominate opponents such as Holloway and Lopes.
Alexander Volkanovski is already widely regarded as one of the best featherweights of all time, and the Australian is now on the verge of cementing his status as the greatest.
To Volkanovski, overcoming adversity in what many regard as the twilight of his career means much more than records.
At 18 minutes and three seconds, Volkanovski holds the longest average fight time in UFC featherweight history, illustrating his mastery inside the octagon.
"I want people thinking I'm too old and declining because when I overcome and get through, it's like 'how's he still doing it?' I'll play into that 100%,"Volkanovski said.