The contender for the vacant UFC lightweight championship belt, Islam Makhachev, wants to surpass the achievement of his friend, coach and sparring partner, Khabib Nurmagomedov, who owned this title and ranked first in the ranking of the best fighters regardless of weight category.
According to the glory of the Russian, who will face the Brazilian Charles Oliveira this weekend, he plans to make more title defenses than his friend, and then go for the championship belt in the welterweight category.
“I want to make more title defenses and then jump to another division,” Makhachev said, answering questions from reporters in Abu Dhabi. “If everything works out for me, I’m one hundred percent sure, Khabib will only be happy about it”
Recall that Khabib Nurmagomedov, who ended his career two years ago, held three successful defenses of the championship belt, finishing ahead of schedule Conor McGregor, Dustin Poirier and Justin Gaethje.
The title fight between Islam Makhachev and Charles Oliveira will be the main event of the UFC 280 tournament, which will be held on October 22 in Abu Dhabi.
