The odds are stacked against Alex Volkanovski like never before, but that's exactly how the UFC featherweight champion wants it.

To him, that's the only way to become truly great, and it's why he was more than willing to take on lightweight king Islam Makhachev with just 11 days' notice at UFC 294 in Abu Dhabi early on Sunday morning AEST.

Avenging his loss to Makhachev, who handed Volkanovski his first defeat in a decade in their super fight earlier this year, would be impressive enough, but doing it this way, with the highest possible degree of difficulty, only makes the prospect more tantalising for the pride of Wollongong.

"I look at it like it's meant to be," Volkanovski said.

"This is part of my story.

"Sometimes bad things happen but it works out for the better.

"It's like this world exists for me. And I'm sure that happens for everyone in their world, but the way things are going, it feels like part of the story.

"I'm made for this. I am the man for this job. It's like basketball, where there's always the person who wants the ball for the last shot.

"You might get bashed if you miss, but there are guys who want the glory, who are chasing it, who don't just choose it, they want the ball, they're saying, 'Please, give me that ball!'

"That's the same as me. If this opportunity comes, please let it come to me because I know I'll take it."