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Beneil Dariush tipped to ‘Run through’ Charles Oliveira on way to title victory ahead of UFC 289 fight

Drew Dober believes Beneil Dariush will make easy work of Charles Oliveira on his way to becoming the UFC lightweight champion. Dober is set to make his return to the Octagon this Saturday night as the UFC returns to New Jersey for UFC 288. Emanating from the Prudential Center, Dober will look to score his […]

Drew Dober believes Beneil Dariush will make easy work of Charles Oliveira on his way to becoming the UFC lightweight champion.

Dober is set to make his return to the Octagon this Saturday night as the UFC returns to New Jersey for UFC 288. Emanating from the Prudential Center, Dober will look to score his fourth-straight win as he squares off against 155-pound standout Matt Frevola. Before heading to the Garden State, Dober spoke with The Schmo to share his thoughts on next month’s high-stakes lightweight clash between No. 4 ranked contender Beneil Dariush and former lightweight champion Charles Oliveira.

Drew Dober not only believes that Beneil Dariush will “run through” Charles Oliveira in their UFC 289 showdown, but he also suggested that Dariush would defeat reigning 155-pound king Islam Makhachev in a potential UFC title fight later this year.

“I think Beneil Dariush is No.1 contender in my division and he deserves that title shot against Islam,” Dober said. “I could see him running through Charles and I also see him potentially beating Islam as well” (h/t MMA News).

Drew Dober Believes Alexander Volkanovski Exposed the Blueprint to Beating Islam Makhachev

Drew Dober has shared the Octagon with both Beneil Dariush and Islam Makhachev, falling to both men by way of submission. Based on his own experience inside the cage and the success that Alexander Volkanovski had against Makhachev in their UFC 284 superfight, Dober believes Beneil Dariush has both the skills and the blueprint to upset the Dagestani destroyer.

“I think that Islam had the more complete game and, I mean, he dominated for the full 15, where Beneil, he brings in the extra added oomph, that it-factor, and man, Beneil just gets better with time, and I think Volkanovski showed a lot of holes in Islam’s game, and I know Beneil will take advantage of those.”

In February, featherweight champion Alexander Volkanovski attempted to dethrone Islam Makhchev in the land down under. After 25 grueling minutes of action, Makhachev was awarded the victory by way of a unanimous decision. Many fans and fighters condemned the decision, believing ‘The Great’ did more than enough to secure a win. A rematch between the two is undoubtedly on the docket, but first, Volkanovski will look to unify his 145-pound crown with interim titleholder Yair Rodrigues this summer.

Justin Gaethje plans UFC title siege against Islam Makhachev next: ‘I’d rather have a championship fight’

Former interim lightweight champion, Justin Gaethje claims fellow former interim gold holder, Dustin Poirier turned down an offer to coach on The Ultimate Fighter 31 against him earlier this year, as he now sets sights on a title outing against current undisputed champion, Islam Makhachev. Gaethje, the current #3 ranked lightweight contender, most recently featured […]

Former interim lightweight champion, Justin Gaethje claims fellow former interim gold holder, Dustin Poirier turned down an offer to coach on The Ultimate Fighter 31 against him earlier this year, as he now sets sights on a title outing against current undisputed champion, Islam Makhachev.

Gaethje, the current #3 ranked lightweight contender, most recently featured at UFC 286 back in March in London, landing a majority decision victory over Rafael Fiziev in London to retain his rank in the top-3 of the division.

Justin Gaethje initially weighed up a potential rematch with Dustin Poirier

In the immediate aftermath of his victory against Fiziev, Gaethje noted his interest in a potential title-eliminator rematch against Poirier this summer, however, the Arizona native claims the Lafayette native turned down the opportunity to serve as an opposing coach against him on TUF 31.

“Before I signed the [Rafael] Fiziev fight, they [the UFC] asked if I wanted to do The Ultimate Fighter with [Dustin] Poirier and he said no,” Justin Gaethje told Daniel Cormier during a recent interview. “I don’t blame him. I wouldn’t do it if I was him, when you got that much money. You’re gonna pay me $80,000 to go f*cking six weeks away from my family? No thanks.”

And despite noting his interest in a potential summer rematch with Poirier, Gaethje has now claimed that a title fight against Dominance MMA stablemate, Makhachev is a fight he is pursuing next.

“I’d rather have a championship fight,” Justin Gaethje explained. [Transcribed by MiddleEasy)

Competing for undisputed lightweight gold back in May of last year in his native Arizona, Gaethje suffered a one-sided opening round rear-naked choke submission loss to former undisputed champion, Charles Oliveira in ‘The Copper State’.

Gaethje had previously failed to unify the lightweight titles against Makahchev’s coach and training partner, Khabib Nurmagomedov in 2019, also dropping a second round submission loss courtesy of a triangle choke.

Max Holloway plans UFC lightweight move after winning another featherweight title: ‘Why not?’

Former featherweight champion, Max Holloway has confirmed he will make a move to the UFC’s lightweight division before calling time on his Octagon tenure, however, plans to make the move when he becomes featherweight titleholder again. Holloway, a former undisputed featherweight champion under the banner of the UFC, headlined UFC Fight Night Kansas City earlier […]

Holloway, a former undisputed featherweight champion under the banner of the UFC, headlined UFC Fight Night Kansas City earlier this month against the surging, Arnold Allen – handing the Ipswich native his first promotional loss in a comprehensive unanimous decision victory.

Retaining his rank as the #2 rated featherweight in the promotion’s ranks, Holloway has offered to fight former two-time title challenger, Chan Sung Jung later this year – with the South Korean native welcoming a potential showdown ahead of a return to Sydney, Australia for the organization later this year.

Max Holloway still planning future lightweight move

Confirming plans to make a lightweight return following a brief interim title rematch with Dustin Poirier back in 2019, Holloway claimed he would consider a return to 155lbs, after he lands a featherweight championship again, firstly.

“It’s always good to go up a weight class with a belt, so that’s the plan,” Max Holloway told Ariel Helwani on The MMA Hour. “And if they [the UFC] thought so – that maybe we couldn’t do a fourth [fight] with Volk (Alexander Volkanovski) – I think they would’ve really pressed the issue with us and told us, ‘Look, you’ve got to go.’ But, we’re here, they’re feeding me contenders. So at the end of the day, we’re going to just keep knocking them down.”

“One-hundred percent,” Max Holloway said of a lightweight move. “Why not? I mean, why not? We’ll see what happens with [Volkanovski] when they’re (Volkanovski and Yair Rodríguez] fighting in July now with Yair. I think a lot of people are counting out Yair. I think it’s going to be a much more interesting fight than a lot of people think it is. We get to be a fan that night, so I’m excited.”

Alexander Volkanovski confirms he rejected UFC title rematch with Islam Makhachev: ‘I’ll get it eventually’

Undisputed featherweight champion, Alexander Volkanovski has confirmed he rejected the opportunity to fight lightweight kingpin, Islam Makhachev in a rematch of their UFC 284 title showdown back in February – in a bid to remain active himself. Volkanovski, a featherweight champion under the promotion’s banner, is slated to headline UFC 290 during International Fight Week […]

Volkanovski, a featherweight champion under the promotion’s banner, is slated to headline UFC 290 during International Fight Week in July – taking on interim division champion, Yair Rodrîguez in a title unification fight.

However, featuring once already earlier this year, the Australian headlined UFC 284 in Perth on home soil, suffering his first promotional loss in the form of a unanimous decision defeat against undisputed lightweight kingpin, Makhachev.

Alexander Volkanovski reveals he rejected a rematch with Islam Makhachev

With both fighters immediately noting their interest in an immediate championship re-run at the lightweight limit, Volkanovski claims the UFC had approached him with the opportunity to fight the Russian once again, however, he elected to reject the bout agreement – with a view to remain active rather than remain sidelined.

“That’s a tricky one, because you have (Beneil) Dariush – but that rematch [with Alexander Volkanovski] needs to happen,” Alexander Volkanovski told The Mac Life during a recent interview. “We need to make that happen, so I guess it’s a tricky one, we just need to see how things go. Me, I just want to remain active – that’s the big thing for me. I’m not the one to wait around, I know I could eventually get it. But what am I going to do? Just sit around and wait until – that’s just not me.”

“I’ll get my fights and do what I’ve got to do,” Alexander Volkanovski explained. “Yeah, that rematch definitely needs to happen, we’ll make that happen. I’ll just do my thing in July [at UFC 287] and see what happens from there.”

As for Makhachev, the Russian has been linked with both a move to the welterweight limit in pursuit of a second Octagon title, however, is at least expected to return to the sport at UFC 294 in October as the promotion returns to Abu Dhabi, UAE.

Furthermore, Makhachev also expressed his interest in fighting Volkanovski in a rematch — as per his coach, Javier Mendez, who insisted the Russian was not dodging a re-run with the former.

Islam Makhachev open to UFC rematch with Alexander Volkanovski: ‘We’re not dodging nothing’

Undisputed UFC lightweight champion, Islam Makhachev remains open to the possibilty of fighting undisputed featherweight titleholder, Alexander Volkanovski in a potential rematch of their UFC 284 back-and-forth clash back in February of this year. Headlining the flagship pay-per-view event in Perth, Australia – Islam Makhachev managed to successfully defend his undisputed lightweight crown at the […]

Headlining the flagship pay-per-view event in Perth, Australia – Islam Makhachev managed to successfully defend his undisputed lightweight crown at the first time of asking, defeating Volkanovski over the course of five rounds in a competitive unanimous decision victory.

The triumph came as Islam Makhachev’s twelfth consecutively at the lightweight limit, having previously clinched the vacant lightweight championship at UFC 280 back in October of last year in a second round arm-triangle submission win over former champion, Charles Oliveira.

As for New South Wales favorite, Volkanovski, the former pound-for-pound number one fighter is expected to headline UFC 290 in July during International Fight Week in a featherweight title unification fight against interim gold holder, Yair Rodríguez.

Islam Makhachev welcomes title rematch with Alexander Volkanovski

However, as per Makhachev’s head coach, American Kickboxing Academy staple, Javier Mendez, the Makhachkala native is open to a future championship re-run with Volkanovski in the future.

“Was it a tought fight? Hell yeah,” Javier Mendez said on the Jibber with Jaber podcast. “Was it tougher than I thought? Hell yeah. Did they gain my full respects? Hell yeah, he got my respect. But am I looking forward to the rematch, if they have one? Hell yeah. I want that rematch and I know Islam (Makhachev) wants it too. So we’re not dodging nothing.”

“If the UFC puts that match together, it’s gonna happen,” Mendez explained. “It’s gonna happen willing on both parties. They’re (Alexander Volkanovski’s team) gonna want it, we’re gonna want it and I would hope they [the UFC] would make it a huge event because that fight delivered. It was everything that was expected.”

Justin Gaethje believes he could KO Islam Makhachev: ‘I can knock anybody out with the power I possess’

UFC lightweight, Justin Gaethje believes he could ‘knock out’ reigning champion Islam Makhachev. Gaethje battled through a dangerous Rafael Fiziev to earn a a hard fought decision win, fending off one of lightweights new rising stars. Gaethje really began to find his timing in the final round, working an improved jab, cutting and stunning Fiziev […]

UFC lightweight, Justin Gaethje believes he could ‘knock out’ reigning champion Islam Makhachev.

Gaethje battled through a dangerous Rafael Fiziev to earn a a hard fought decision win, fending off one of lightweights new rising stars. Gaethje really began to find his timing in the final round, working an improved jab, cutting and stunning Fiziev throughout.

The win puts Gaethje in a fantastic position to mount a serious title bid ad believes he capabilities to stop the current champion, Makhachev.

“I think [Islam is] a hard fight for anybody. Just create damage. I’d have to fight the perfect fight“, Gaethje said to TMZ.

“I think I can knock him out. I think I can knock anybody out with the power that I possess.”

“While talented, Gatehje belives that Makhachev is not quite on the same level as his close friend a

“I think the biggest difference [to Khabib Nurmagomedov] is Islam has been finished. He’s lost a fight. He’s been finished. So that aura of invincibility is there, but it’s not based on 100% facts like Khabib has, I think that’s the biggest factor, the biggest difference.”

Justin Gaethje talks retirement

If everything goes right Gatehje could only be a few fights from achieving his dream of winning a UFC title. However, the 34-year-old is not getting any younger and understands that his next title run, will probably be his last.

“34, I think we are at our peak, mentally, physically”, said Gaethje. “Between 34 and 36, so I can’t see myself being done in the next two years. I’d say two to four years is def a timeline that makes sense. I’m not trying to fight when I’m 40, and after 36, I don’t see myself getting better.”

Who do you want to see Justin Gaethje face next?