“Yes, he said he wouldn’t be ready for such a fight and he needed more time to prepare,” the American said in an interview with Submission Radio. “It was the right decision on his part.”
“Why would he risk his chance and go into a fight like that underprepared? I think he did the right thing and made the decision based on his needs and wants.”
“I guess if Max Holloway was in that situation, he would have said – I’m in! But even Justin Gaethje said before his fight with Holloway that he wouldn’t take the title fight because he needed time to rest and prepare”
Recall that the next defense of the championship belt Islam Makhachev will be held on June 1 at UFC 302 in Newark, and the opponent of the Russian fighter will be American Dustin Porier.