Reigning UFC lightweight champion Islam Makhachev addressed the division’s top fighters, advising them to kiss their title ambitions goodbye in the short term.
“Arman, Dustin, Justin, Charles – they’re all good, they’re in the top five in the world, but none of them will get the belt while I’m here. That’s it!”,” the Russian wrote on social media.
As a visualization of his words, Makhachev posted a photo, meaningfully demonstrating that potential challengers should be quieter.
The Russian made the statement three days after his compatriot and former rival, Arman Tsarukyan, knocked out Benil Dariush in 64 seconds and challenged him to knock out the champion in the first round.
The most likely candidate for a title fight remains former division champion, top ranked Charles Oliveira. A rematch between Makhachev and Oliveira was supposed to headline UFC 294 in Abu Dhabi on October 21, but the Brazilian suffered a dissection two weeks before the event and pulled out of the fight, giving up a title shot to Alex Volkanovski, whom the Russian fighter knocked out in the first round.
At the same time, Islam Makhachev, who heads the rankings of the best UFC fighters regardless of weight class, has not given up hope of getting the winner of the welterweight title fight between Leon Edwards and Colby Covington, and plans to personally attend their fight, which will headline UFC 296 in Las Vegas on December 16.
Source: https://fighttime.ru/news/item/33330-islam-makhachev-ostavil-poslanie-sopernikam.html?rand=19907
