Reigning UFC lightweight champion Islam Makhachev has announced that his next opponent will be American Justin Gaethje, ranked number two in the division’s rankings.
“June 8 against Gaethje, in November at Madison Square Garden Arena in New York against the winner of the Oliveira-Arman fight, in February 2025 against anyone,” the Russian wrote on social media.
The champion’s statement came two days after UFC head Dana White officially announced a challenger fight between Charles Oliveira and Arman Tsarukyan, saying that the winner of that confrontation would get a title shot and face Makhachev in the summer.
At the same time, the head of the organization said that the UFC champion will not be able to fight before Ramadan due to injury, however, the manager of the Russian fighter, Ali Abdelaziz, denied this information.
Last year, Islam Makhachev made two successful defenses of his championship belt, winning a unanimous decision over Alexander Volkanovski in February and knocking out the Australian in a rematch in April.
Source: https://fighttime.ru/news/item/33615-islam-makhachev-ob-yavil-sopernika-i-datu-boya.html?rand=19907
