The shake-ups to the early 2022 calendar of the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) just keep on coming.
It was revealed Monday that rising Lightweight star, Rafael Fiziev, tested positive for COVID-19, forcing him out of his UFC 272 co-main event with Rafael dos Anjos this weekend (Sat., March 5, 2022). With the event just days away, it has left the promotion scrambling and many a fighter throwing their names in the hat to fill in. The most intriguing of the bunch to speak up is this past Saturday’s main event winner from UFC Vegas 49, Islam Makhachev.
Dos Anjos responded accordingly and now the ball is seemingly just in UFC’s court.
“170??? Let’s do it. We have unfinished business, ‘RDA,’” Makhachev tweeted in response to the news.
“165lbs!! Division you guy created. I’m game,” Dos Anjos replied before Makhachev asked; “You looking for the way out again?”
165lbs!! Division you guy created. I’m game. https://t.co/1HbCdw0dVi
— Rafael dos Anjos (@RdosAnjosMMA) February 28, 2022
If UFC ends up going through with Makhachev vs. dos Anjos, it won’t be the first time the promotion matched them together.
At UFC 267 in Oct. 2021, Makhachev and dos Anjos were set to collide until the 37-year-old Brazilian suffered an injury. Dan Hooker would step in to save the day, but ultimately fall short when finished by Makhachev via first-round kimura submission (watch highlights).
One year prior, the two were booked twice with dos Anjos contracting COVID-19 on the first occasion and then, one month later, Makhachev was injured, with Paul Felder stepping up and dropping a unanimous decision to the former champion (watch highlights).
Makhachev just extended his current win streak to 10 in a row, defeating Bobby Green via first-round technical knockout (watch highlights). Green filled in on one week’s notice for Beneil Dariush after winning the week before.
Remember that MMAmania.com will deliver LIVE round-by-round, blow-by-blow coverage of the entire UFC 272 fight card right here, starting with the early ESPN+ “Prelims” matches online, which are scheduled to begin at 6 p.m. ET, then the remaining undercard balance on ESPN/ESPN+ at 8 p.m. ET, before the PPV main card start time at 10 p.m. ET on ESPN+ PPV.
To check out the latest and greatest UFC 272: “Covington vs. Masvidal” news and notes be sure to hit up our comprehensive event archive right here.