The consequences of Islam Makhachev’s hand injury are far-reaching.
The Lightweight kingpin was expected to defend his strap at UFC 308 on October 26 in Abu Dhabi opposite surging contender Arman Tsarukyan, but his injury delayed that contest and left the card without a main event. Instead, Ilia Topuria vs. Max Holloway was shipped from UFC 307 to Abu Dhabi, leaving an opening for Alex Pereira to save the day (again) in the now-vacant UFC 307 headliner.
Of course, the No.1-ranked Lightweight contender Tsarukyan was affected himself as well. In a recent interview with Red Corner MMA, Tsarukyan revealed that expects a December title fight, either opposite Makhachev or for an interim title.
Tsarukyan explained, “[Fight was Islam] was supposed to take place in October, but they have put it off. Now, it’s being negotiated for December … It depends on when Islam is coming back. If he needs a surgery and returns next spring, then they will put the interim belt on the line.”
In addition, the changing date means that Tsarukyan no longer has to record an anti-bully video for the Nevada State Athletic Commission (NSAC), which was a prerequisite for Tsarukyan to return in October after punching a fan. According to Tsarukyan, Makhachev’s likely delay to December means that he will no longer be suspended at that time and doesn’t need to shorten his sentence with the optional anti-bully PSA. He continued, “If my fight is scheduled for December, there’s no point.”
It’s a shame, because watching the hot-headed wrestler advise viewers to keep their hands to themselves sounds hilarious.
As for a possible interim title, the question becomes who would be Tsarukyan’s opponent? A Charles Oliveira rematch is always possible given the competitive nature of their 15-minute scrap, but that’s a pretty short turnaround to rebook the duo. Actually, the only man in the Lightweight Top Five currently riding a win streak besides Tsarukyan is Dan Hooker, which would certainly be a surprising and unexpected match up.
We’ll just have to wait and see how the 155-pound division shakes out in the coming months.