The UFC had a problem finding an opponent for the Russian fighter Islam Makhachev for the October fight in Abu Dhabi, ASA Vice President Aslanbek Badaev said.
Earlier, Brazilian fighter Charles Oliveira confirmed that he is not ready to have a rematch with Makhachev in October.
– Initially, it was clear that Oliveira would not want to fight Islam in Abu Dhabi. He burned himself there before the first battle, could not stand the atmosphere. Clearly no one is forced to do what Oliveira loves. But if we want a competitive fight, it has to happen somewhere else in order to get the most adaptable and brave Brazilian. It is not a problem of Makhachev, who has a date and a place. He was ready to fight before. Now there is a situation in which it is unclear how long Volkanovski’s return will last after the injury. The winner of Poirier and Gaethje is also unlikely to be ready, given the amount of damage he takes in the battles. They will need a long time to recover. They could come back in December.
The ideal fight is with Tsarukyan, but Arman’s team will not be in a hurry. They will gently drop it. The last fight for Tsarukyan was not without problems. Who else? gamrot. He has one win after one loss. On paper, not really a fight. The situation is not very good for Makhachev. Islam should seize the opportunity to heal its wounds as much as possible and starve for the fights. If he is needed in Abu Dhabi, he will fight there, regardless of the opponent. Another thing is that a duel without the above mentioned names will not excite. I myself wonder what path the UFC will find. Will it be one of the listed fighters or some kind of surprise. Maybe a fight with a 77kg champion, although that is fantasy in Abu Dhabi. Leon Edwards won’t go there, but you never know, Badaev told MMA.Metaratings.ru.
Makhachev defeated Oliveira in the second round in October 2022 to win the vacant UFC lightweight belt.
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Metaratings.ru
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.
