Administrator Khabiba Nurmagomedova Rizvan Magomedov told that the former champion will not be a runner-up Islam Makhachev at UFC 284.
We are talking about the duel of Makhachev (23-1) against Alex Volkanovski (25-1), which will take place in Perth (Australia). The fight is scheduled for February 12. For Makhachev, this will be the first defense of the belt in the weight category up to 70.3 kg.
In recent fights, including the title fight on Oct. 22, Nurmagomedov was second to Makhachev, along with team head coach Javier Mendez and another trainer, Muslim Amiraslanov. At the beginning of this year, Nurmagomedov announced on his social networks that he would devote less time to MMA as a coach and an official.
– Will Khabib be around Islam Makhachev?
– I think he was clear and it was such a balanced decision that he approached for a long time. There is no need to look for behind-the-scenes reasons or radical incidents there. It has just come to this. He ended his career in 2020 but moves during training camps, during fights. Over 12 months, he is away from home, constantly on these journeys. And he made such a decision that it was time to spend time with his family, to devote time to children. And, most likely, he will miss this fight, yes, Magomedov told .
Currently, the 31-year-old Makhachev ranks second in the rankings of the best fighters in the UFC, regardless of weight class. A fight win with Volkanovski (34) virtually guarantees the Russian first place, as it is Volkanovski who currently leads the standings.
A source:
Source : MatchTV
I am Ashley Ortiz and I am a professional journalist working for Athletistic. My specialty is in sports journalism, particularly boxing. I have written articles for some of the most renowned publications on the subject, and my work has been featured across both print and digital media platforms.
