Photo by Josh Hedges/Zuffa LLC
After Rafael dos Anjos tested positive for COVID-19 he was forced to withdraw from his scheduled bout against Islam Makhachev, which was set to go down at UFC 254 on Oct. 24, 2020 on Yas Island, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates.
The hope was to still keep Makhachev on the card, but after days passed by the promotion wasn’t able to find a suitable replacement on such short notice. As far as putting him up against former Bellator MMA 155-pound champion, Michael Chandler, UFC President Dana White says that won’t happen.
“No, because I need Chandler. I need him and we have other plans for him. If he doesn’t have to step in, we have other plans,” White told Kevin Iole.
White went on to say that Chandler is currently going through the weight cutting process in case he has to step in for either Khabib Nurmagomedov or Justin Gaethje, who are set to take part in a title unification bout at UFC 254.
As far as Tony Ferguson, that is another option that won’t be green lit despite Ali Abdelaziz’s best efforts to sway “El Cucuy” to face his client, going as far as dangling a $200,000 bribe carrot in front of him.
“Hey, Ali can pump up everyone’s check if he wants to. I like it, it’s good to be rich, that Khabib money,” laughed White. “No I have not talked to Tony but our guys have. But we wouldn’t let Ali put up the money for, know what I mean, we wouldn’t let that happen, I’m joking.”
In the end, White says Makhachev likely won’t be fighting on “Fight Island.”