Looking for a new defense of the belt Makhachev opened the door to face the North American, but the Brazilian could change his plans
The great victory of Dustin Poirier at UFC 299, the American’s status changed in the lightweight category. Before thinking about retiring, now the fighter aims to fight for the belt against Islam Makhachevwhich opened the doors for the meeting, but there is a big barrier before the deal can be closed.
In theory, the winner of the match between Charles’From the Bronx‘ It is Arman Tsarukyan will be the current belt holder’s next opponent, but Islam He has already demonstrated that he doesn’t have much desire to face the Brazilian again. This is exactly why Oliveira will need to go through one more stage before receiving a likely new ‘title-shot’.
🤝⚔️ https://t.co/0m5BsvM5Fs
— Makhachev Islam (@MAKHACHEVMMA) March 11, 2024
It is worth remembering that it was exactly the victory over Charles that guaranteed the Russian the title, in October 2022, but since then the Brazilian has not managed a rematch. The first option was Volkanovskithen featherweight champion, and when he would have had the opportunity, he was injured two weeks before the fight and ended up being left out.
Now, Islam is looking for opponents of his choice for his third belt defense since his title, and responded to Poirier’s call on social media with a handshake emoji. Furthermore, the Russian also made a point of praising Dustin’s knockout over Saint-Benoit last Saturday night, the 9th.
Source: sportbuzz
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.
