It seems that Islam Mahachev will have to fight once more before winning the UFC title, after it is claimed that he threw himself into a short battle for change on Saturday.
After Rafael dos Agnos lost his original opponent for UFC 272, Mahachev (22-1 MMA, 11-1 UFC) was one of the fighters who offered his services. The rising lightweight contender recently won the main event over Bobby Green at UFC Fight Night 202 last weekend, but raised his hand to fight Dos Agnos in a match that has been canceled three times before.
Dos Anyos was all-in in the situation, even offering to move to the welterweight division to ease Mahachev’s pressure to lose a lot of weight. However, the momentum died down there, because shortly after it was confirmed that Renato Moikano will fight dos Anjos at UFC 272. Former UFC champion and Makhachev they later blamed each other because it fails to materialize.
UFC President Dana White clarified what happened on Wednesday and pointed to Makhachev and his team to prevent a fight.
“I thought we did,” White said in an interview with Barstool Sports. “When I went to bed one night there, I thought it was over. I woke up the next morning and realized that (Makhachov) had refused.
“This is ‘What is the best match you can make?’ The best battle we could make would be him and Islam.” RDA against Islam. Islam rejects the battle: “What is the best battle you can do? Moikano.”
Although White did not express any anger or disappointment at Makhachev, who currently has a series of 10 victories and is high in the queue for the title with 155 pounds. However, it seems that Mahachev’s quest for a championship match between the winner of Charles Oliveira against Justin Getzhi at UFC 274 on May 7 will remain unfulfilled.
Instead, White said he wanted to see Mahachev fight Beneil Dariush (21-4-1 MMA, 15-4-1 UFC), who suffered a serious leg injury that forced him to leave UFC Fight Night 202, where was replaced by Green.
“I love the battle with Dariusz,” White said. “Since he rejected this battle, we will remake the battle with Dariusz. I’m dying to see this battle. And then (if) it goes through Dariusz, that’s very interesting. “