Undisputed lightweight champion, Islam Makhachev has been backed to compete twice at the very minimum this year ahead fo his return to the Octagon – as per his manager, Ali Abdelaziz, who revealed his client is awaiting a comeback to be floated from UFC brass.
Makhachev, the current undisputed lightweight champion and pound-for-pound number one, has been sidelined since he headlined UFC 294 back in October, landing a spectacular first round high-kick and strikes KO win over recent headliner, Alexander Volkanovski in the pair’s short-notice title rematch.
And sidelined through the religious period of Ramadan, lightweight kingpin, Makhachev has been linked with a slew of comeback fights against the likes of former interim titleholder, Justin Gaethje, as well as a clash with newly-minted gold holder, Ilia Topuria – who struck featherweight spoils at UFC 298 against the aforenoted, Volkanovski earlier this month in Anaheim.
Islam Makhachev set to fight twice this year in UFC
Providing an update on the immediate fighting future of Makhachev, Dominance MMA leader, Abdelaziz confirmed how his client is in the running to fight at least twice later this year when he makes his return to the UFC.
“At least, he’s going to fight – you know, whenever the UFC is gonna give us the date,” Ali Abdelaziz said of Islam Makhachev during an interview with The Schmo. “He will fight at least two times this year – at minimum.”
Lodging his second successful defense of the lightweight throne in October, Makhachev had scored a decision win over the above-mentioned, Volkanovski back in February of last year in Australia – after winning the vacant title in a grudge fight with former champion, Charles Oliveira the October prior.
Who do you expect to see Islam Makhachev fight in his UFC comeback?