Islam Makhachev goes shirtless in the Himalayas ahead of UFC 284: “Need to stock up on oxygen for five rounds.”

Reigning UFC lightweight champion Islam Makhachev braves the elements as he prepares for his upcoming title fight.

Makhachev is set to defend his title for the first time on February 11, when featherweight champion Alexander Volkanovski will bump up a weight class in an attempt to earn double-champ status.

While Makhachev will enjoy a healthy size advantage and a fighting style that flourishes with such an edge, Volkanovski is one of the most skilled fighters on the planet and currently sits atop the UFC’s pound-for-pound rankings.

As always, Makhachev and his team are supremely confident heading into the bout, but will understand the threat that Volkanovski presents to Makhachev’s reign.

Islam Makhachev relocates training camp

Via his Instagram, Makhachev is taking his training camp to the extremes, seemingly taking it to Nepal, even posing for a photo at the Mount Everest base camp. With the country mainly being situated in the Himalayas, it makes it a perfect place to do high elevation training, captioning the photo- “need to stock up on oxygen for five rounds.”

The 31-year-old would also post a video of him testing the extreme climate, taking a dip in ice water before lying in the snow (shirtless), while others in the background can be seen in big snowsuits.

The pair will meet in the main event of UFC 284 in Perth, Australia. Yair Rodriguez ad Josh Emmett will square off in the co-main event for the interim featherweight championship, with the likes of Jack Della Maddalena, Tyson Pedro, and Jimmy Crute also featuring.

How will Islam Makhachev’s first title fight do?