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Islam Makhachev suggests Charles Oliveira won’t show up at UFC 280

Islam Makhachev is just days away from the biggest fight of his professional career when he meets former lightweight champion, Charles Oliveira, in the UFC 280 main event. After seven years with the promotion and 10 straight victories inside the Octagon, Makhachev will get his long-awaited world title opportunity, but the Dagestani striker is not […]

Islam Makhachev is just days away from the biggest fight of his professional career when he meets former lightweight champion, Charles Oliveira, in the UFC 280 main event.

After seven years with the promotion and 10 straight victories inside the Octagon, Makhachev will get his long-awaited world title opportunity, but the Dagestani striker is not entirely convinced that ‘Do Bronx’ will show up for their showdown on Yas Island. With the main event less than two weeks away, Makhachaev brought attention to a news article on Twitter detailing Oliveira’s intentions to arrive in Abu Dhabi 20 days ahead of the bout in order to acclimate to the time difference and the weather. With 14 days to go, Oliveira still hasn’t arrived at Fight Island.

“2 weeks before the fight, Charles and his team not in Abu Dhabi yet., should I start worry ? ” Makhachev tweeted.

Islam Makhachev’s Mentor Khabib Nurmagomedov Not Convinced Charles Oliveira Will Show Up For UFC 280

While one could simply dismiss the tweet as Islam Makhachev stirring the pot before the two fighters clash in the cage, there are others in the Islam Makhachev camp convinced that Oliveira is going to pull a no-show. UFC Hall of Famer Khabib Nurmagomedov tweeted his belief that Oliveira would not show up at UFC 280 and claimed the promotion would replace ‘Do Bronx’ with Beneil Dariush.

“I just think Charles Oliveira will not show up in Abu Dhabi and the UFC will replace Charles with Beneil Dariush. Regardless of who the opponent will be, @MAKHACHEVMMA is on his way to becoming the best in the world #ufc280”

I just think Charles Oliveira will not show up in Abu Dhabi and the UFC will replace Charles with Beneil Dariush.

Regardless of who the opponent will be, @MAKHACHEVMMA is on his way to becoming the best in the world #ufc280

— khabib nurmagomedov (@TeamKhabib) September 16, 2022

That scenario is not outside the realm of possibility as Dariush is scheduled to face Mateusz Gamrot at UFC 280 and previously confirmed his spot as the official backup should either of the two main eventers be unable to compete.

Charles Oliveira captured the lightweight championship at UFC 262 in May 2021. After a successful defense against Dustin Poirier six months later, ‘Do Bronx’ was stripped of the title after failing to make the 155-pound weight limit for his UFC 274 bout with Justin Gaethje. The fight proceeded as scheduled with Oliveira scoring a second-round submission leaving the lightweight title vacant. At UFC 280, that vacancy will be filled one way or another.

Makhachev Shares Evidence That Oliveira May Skip UFC 280

Islam Makhachev has some concerns about Charles Oliveira ahead of their UFC 280 main event. Many would say Makhachev fighting for the lightweight title has been a long time coming, yet he will be fighting for the belt for the first time when he takes o…

Continue Reading Makhachev Shares Evidence That Oliveira May Skip UFC 280 at MMA News.

Exclusive – Eric Nicksick previews Aljamain Sterling’s fight with ‘dynamic’ T.J. Dillashaw: ‘It’s a great matchup’

Xtreme Couture head coach, Eric Nicksick has shared his thoughts on this month’s undisputed UFC bantamweight title fight between his student, champion Aljamain Sterling, and former titleholder, challenger, T.J. Dillashaw – praising the dynamism of the latter and crediting him for revolutionizing standup fight at the bantamweight level. Nicksick, the head coach of several leading […]

Nicksick, the head coach of several leading UFC fighters including undisputed heavyweight champion, Francis Ngannou, and the aforenoted, Sterling – along with Ray Longo and Matt Serra, will prepare the latter for his trip to Abu Dhabi, UAE later this month to tackle Dillashaw at UFC 280.

Defending bantamweight champion, Sterling, most recently co-headlined UFC 273 earlier this year against former champion, Petr Yan in the pair’s rematch – edging out the Russian with a close, split decision win in Jacksonville, Florida.

As for Dillashaw, the former two-time division kingpin headlined in his promotional return in July of last year against common-foe, Cory Sandhagen, earning a title fight with a close split judging win of his own. The outing came as T.J. Dillashaw’s first since serving a two-year retroactive suspension issued by USADA after he tested positive for the banned substance, erythropoietin (EPO).

Commenting on the style of Dillashaw and the overall game of the Angels Camp veteran whilst breaking down Sterling’s incoming title defense, the above-mentioned, Nicksick highlighted the former’s dynamic style at bantamweight.

“It’s nice getting matched up against who I think is one of the best coaching minds in the game (Duane Ludwig),” Eric Nicksick told Mike Owens during an interview with LowKick MMA. “It’s also nice not having to stand across from him, you know what I mean.”

“All in all, I think T.J. (Dillashaw) brings a full MMA skillset from the feet to the floor, where he’s very dynamic in all areas,” Eric Nicksick explained. “I think it’s a great matchup to be quite honest with you.”

Eric Nicksick heaps praise on challenger, T.J. Dillashaw ahead of UFC 280

Credited with some of the best footwork and angle creation in the sport and the bantamweight division as a whole, T.J. Dillashaw has been praised for his part in revolutionizing that aspect of mixed martial arts by Nicksick.

“I think when you change stances a lot, your defense suffers,” Nicksick said of T.J. Dillashaw. “I think guys like to switch stances because of what offense it brings out for them, but you get into a focus of purely offense. For me as a coach, if you’re switching stances, your defense suffers – then you shouldn’t be switching stances, because you’re going to get your ass knocked out.”

“… To me, I think T.J. does really well in his stance switch because his defensive soundness remains the same out of both orthodox and southpaw,” Nicksick explained.

O’Malley Describes Feeling Of Being Underdog For The First Time

Sean O’Malley has spoken to DC on heading into uncharted waters, as an underdog in his UFC 280 bout with Petr Yan. The rainbow-haired sensation has been critiqued in the past for fighting against combatants perceived to be below his own station. …

Continue Reading O’Malley Describes Feeling Of Being Underdog For The First Time at MMA News.

O’Malley Explains Why Detractors Still Want Him To Beat Yan

If you say you want Petr Yan to beat Sean O’Malley up at UFC 280, you’re lying — according to “Sugar.” Later this month, O’Malley will have a massive opportunity to advance his ambitions on MMA’s biggest stage. In 2021, the Montana native recorded three consecutive knockout wins, earning himself a trio of $50,000 bonuses…

Continue Reading O’Malley Explains Why Detractors Still Want Him To Beat Yan at MMA News.

Exclusive – Justin Gaethje believes win over Islam Makhachev would ‘even the score’ with Khabib Nurmagomedov

Former interim UFC lightweight champion, Justin Gaethje believes a potential victory over Islam Makhachev in the future if the duo clash – would likely go a long way to evening a score between himself and Makhachev’s teammate and former foe, Khabib Nurmagomedov. Gaethje, the current #3 ranked lightweight contender, most recently headlined UFC 274 back […]

Gaethje, the current #3 ranked lightweight contender, most recently headlined UFC 274 back in May against former undisputed champion, Charles Oliveira, suffering a first round rear-naked choke loss to the Brazilian in an unsuccessful title siege.

With Oliveira missing championship weight for the fight, Gaethje was the only eligible party to win gold at UFC 274, however, was rocked, admittedly on at least five separate occasions on the feet by the former, before he was dropped and then submitted in brutal fashion.

The defeat came as Gaethje’s second in his bid to become the undisputed lightweight champion during his Octagon tenure, having previously dropped a second round triangle loss to the aforenoted, Khabib at UFC 254.

Yet to book his next walk since his submission loss to Oliveira, Gaethje, who has been linked with a fight against Rafael Fiziev in an end-of-year clash after both recently underwent surgical procedures to address nose fractures.

Justin Gaethje has been linked with a future fight against stablemate Islam Makhachev

The ONX Labs mainstay is sure to have eyes fixed on this month’s vacant title fight between Oliveira and Makhachev, and insists that a future fight, and victory over the latter would likely go beyond evening the score with Khabib.

“Yes,” Justin Gaethje said during a recent interview with LowKick MMA reporter, Makoa Goble when asked if a win over Makhachev would even the score with Khabib. “That would be, yeah – that would be better than evening the score, probably.”

Having shared the Octagon with Oliveira, Gaethje has shared his thoughts on how the Brazilian will fare against Makhachev at UFC 280.

“I think the main part of that statement, is (Charles) Oliveira’s ability to not be submitted by (Islam) Makhachev,” Justin Gaethje said. “If he doesn’t get submitted, then most likely, he’s on his back for three rounds or more. And then Makhachev wins a decision, so.”

“… If you know anything about this, this is what you think is supposed to happen,” Justin Gaethje explained. “But if you just watched Kamaru (Usman’s) fight (against Leon Edwards), then you know this is the best sport in the world because anything can happen at any given moment. I’m excited to watch the fight. I hope Oliveira beats him up. I hope Oliveira keeps it standing – I hope Oliveira stays on top of him. It would be cool to see all those things – we’ll see. We’ll see what happens, (it’s) a crazy sport.”