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Islam Makhachev expects UFC to sideline him until Abu Dhabi event: ‘They want to give me time to rest’

Undisputed UFC lightweight champion, Islam Makhachev has claimed that he will likely remained sidelined from the Octagon until the promotion makes its return to Abu Dhabi, UAE later this year. Makhachev, the current undisputed lightweight champion, headlined UFC 284 last month in Perth, Australia – defending his championship for the first time. Featuring opposite undisputed […]

Undisputed UFC lightweight champion, Islam Makhachev has claimed that he will likely remained sidelined from the Octagon until the promotion makes its return to Abu Dhabi, UAE later this year.

Makhachev, the current undisputed lightweight champion, headlined UFC 284 last month in Perth, Australia – defending his championship for the first time.

Featuring opposite undisputed featherweight titleholder, Alexander Volkanovski, Makhachev managed to defend his lightweight crown – securing a unanimous decision triumph over the New South Wales favorite.

Winning the vacant lightweight crown back in October of last year on ‘Fight Island’ – Makhachev stopped former undisputed champion, Charles Oliveira with a second round arm-triangle choke in the main event of UFC 280.

Weighing up options for his next attempted title defense, Islam Makhachev has been linked with potential fights with both Beneil Dariush, and the aforenoted, Oliveira – who fight in May – as well as former two-weight champion, Conor McGregor.

Islam Makhachev is expected to remain sidelined until a ‘Fight Island’ return

Noting his intentions to fight at the welterweight limit in the future too in a bid to become a two-weight champion to boot, Makhachev revealed that he will likely be restricted to competition on ‘Fight Island’ by the UFC – with officials urging the American Kickboxing Academy staple to take time to rest and recover.

“They all say, Sean Shelby [UFC matchmaker], Hunter (Campbell{ [UFC Chief Business Officer[, Dana (White) [UFC president] – they all say, ‘We want to give you some time for the rest and we want to see you in Abu Dhabi,’” Islam Makhachev said during an interview on WEIGHING IN. “In my mind, I think they’re [the UFC] gonna give me [a fight in] June, maybe August, some fight. [But] they say, ‘You will come back in Abu Dhabi.’”

Off the back of UFC 285 earlier this month, Makhachev slumped to #3 in the official pound-for-pound ranking – dropping beneath the above-mentioned, Volkanovski, as well as newly minted heavyweight champion, Jon Jones – who tops the list following his submission win over Ciryl Gane.

Dustin Poirier Gains 520,000 More Followers After UFC 257 Win Over Conor McGregor

In the promotion’s return to its pay-per-view schedule for 2021, UFC 257 is reported to have drawn in 1.6 million pay-per-view purchases to see former interim champion Dustin Poirier rematch former two-weight world champion, Conor McGregor in a pivotal lightweight showdown. Drawing upwards of a million and a half purchases, the event would fall as […]

Drawing upwards of a million and a half purchases, the event would fall as the second biggest grossing pay-per-view event in promotional history, sitting above McGregor’s UFC 202 rematch with Nate Diaz in August of 2016, and below the October 2018 grudge matchup between Khabib Nurmagomedov and McGregor, which drew a jaw-dropping 2.4 million pay-per-view buys. All in all, a majorly successful return to flagship events for the UFC.

Seeing his stock rise massively on the night, former interim titleholder, Poirier exacted his revenge over McGregor — putting right a six-year-old wrong and becoming the first to finish the Dubliner with strikes in his professional mixed martial arts career via a second-round combination at the fence.

Employing an inch-perfect gameplan to avenge his 2014 defeat to McGregor, American Top Team staple and Mike Brown product, Poirier mixed in some wrestling early in the opening round, before finding his target time and time again with a barrage of crunching calf kicks, drawing some significant swelling to McGregor’s southpaw lead.

Over the course of the second-round exchanges, Poirier landed the debilitating calf kick again on cue, before circling from the fence via a counter check right hook and spinning McGregor on his heels. Unloading with a lengthy flurry of hooks, a particularly well-placed right hand sat McGregor down at the fence, before Poirier separated him from consciousness with a ground strike.

Despite the defeat to Poirier, McGregor gained upwards of 439,000 followers across his social media platforms, however, the former trumped the latter in that aspect as well — gaining a staggering 520,000 followers from his combined social outlets — according to a report from data analysts, Nielsen Sports.

Poirier, who used his platform during his post-fight interview with UFC commentator, Jon Anik to highlight his and his wife, Jolie’s charity, The Good Fight Foundation are in the process of receiving a half a million-dollar donation from McGregor to the charity, as Poirier hopes to build a gym facility for the less fortunate.

With the victory over McGregor, Lousiana native, Poirier puts himself in prime position to challenge for the UFC lightweight championship in his next Octagon walk, claiming the number-one rank in the official 155-pound pile earlier this week.

UFC president, Dana White initially suggested a possible vacant title pairing of Poirier and UFC 257 co-headliner, ‘Iron’ Michael Chandler, however, the former has distanced himself from the potential clash — claiming Chandler needs to lay out a body of work at lightweight before fast-tracking his way to a title shot.

Poirier, who seemed rather coy in regards to what’s next for him, briefly detailed how a trilogy, rubber-match with McGregor would be something that interested him, as well as a rebooked matchup against Stockton favourite, Diaz — after he was forced from a UFC 230 booking due to a hip injury.

Rankings Update – Poirier Moves To #1, McGregor Drops From Top-Five, Chandler Debuts At #4

Following last weekend’s flagship pay-per-view event return for the organization — UFC 257 brought with it a rather significant shuffle among the lightweight top-five rankings. Featuring two high-profile 155-pound pairings, former three-time Bellator lightweight best, ‘Iron’ Michael Chandler made his long-awaited promotional bow as he clashed with Kiwi striker, Dan ‘The Hangman’ Hooker in a […]

Following last weekend’s flagship pay-per-view event return for the organization — UFC 257 brought with it a rather significant shuffle among the lightweight top-five rankings.

Featuring two high-profile 155-pound pairings, former three-time Bellator lightweight best, ‘Iron’ Michael Chandler made his long-awaited promotional bow as he clashed with Kiwi striker, Dan ‘The Hangman’ Hooker in a co-main event slot.

Taking major focus in a headlining tilt, a lightweight rematch six-years in the making, former featherweight rivals, Dustin ‘The Diamond’ Poirier and ‘The Notorious’ Conor McGregor closed the curtain on the promotion’s pay-per-view debut for 2021.

Debuting at #4 in the promotion’s official rankings as per Canadian outlet, TSN, Missouri native Chandler made a massive statement in his promotional bow, becoming just the second competitor in mixed martial arts history to stop Hooker with strikers.

Circling the Auckland native onto a fierce right hand for the opening couple of minutes, Chandler eventually sprung with his straight shot, dropping Hooker before swarming with a series of ground strikes. Calling for current undisputed lightweight champion, Khabib Nurmagomedov and event headliners, Poirier and McGregor afterwards in a Ric Flair-esque promo, Chandler lands a #4, while Hooker, suffering his second straight loss drops to #8 from his #6 rank.

Dropping out of the lightweight top-five via his first career loss via strikes, former two-weight world champion, McGregor loses his #4 rank to Chandler, assuming the #6 rank at 155-pounds, below former interim champion, Tony ‘El Cucuy’ Ferguson.
Exacting a masterful gameplan to draw his duo of fights with McGregor to one win apiece, Poirier targeted the Dubliner’s southpaw lead with a series of punishing calf kicks, rendering him largely immobile in the second-round before stopping the Crumlin native with a damaging combination at the fence.

With the victory, Poirier leaps above recent interim champion and one-time foe, Justin ‘The Highlight’ Gaethje into the #1 rank at lightweight — primed for a title shot in his next Octagon outing, interim, vacant or otherwise.

Retaining his #3 rank at 155-pounds despite the shuffle, surging Sao Paulo submission specialist, Charles ‘Do Bronx’ Oliveira is himself poised to throw his name into a vacant title discussion alongside Poirier, after UFC president, Dana White announced that things aren’t necessarily looking upwards for fans clamouring for a retirement snapping return of Nurmagomedov.

McGregor’s drop to the #6 rank marks the first time he’s featured outside the promotion’s top-five rankings since his initial UFC 178 victory over Poirier back in September of 2014, before he went on to stop Dennis Siver, and then Chad Mendes in an interim title clash, before a thirteen-second unification title win over Jose Aldo.

Despite the promotion’s floated idea of a title matchup between Poirier and Chandler, the former wants to see the latter establish a body of work at 155-pounds before entertaining a title clash with him. For Team McGregor, they hope to secure a vacant title rubber-match against Poirier as soon as May to round out their now level on score trilogy, while Poirier has already called to be crowned the undisputed lightweight champion following his win.

Conor McGregor Hopes To Seal Rubber-Match With Dustin Poirier For Vacant Title Next

Sitting at 1-1 from their two Octagon outings against each other, former two-weight world champion, ‘The Notorious’ Conor McGregor and Dustin ‘The Diamond’ Poirier have both voiced their interest in a potential rubber-match in the future, however, the former hopes to secure the trilogy immediately — with a yet to be vacated lightweight title up […]

Avenging a September 2014 knockout loss to McGregor at Saturday’s UFC 257 event, former interim 155-pound titleholder, Poirier put himself in prime contention for a title shot in his next Octagon outing, becoming the first competitor in professional mixed martial arts to stop McGregor with strikes.

Implementing a brutal, stiff calf kick approach, Poirier landed upwards of eleven gruelling shots to McGregor’s southpaw lead, rendering it almost useless before the midway point of the second frame. Backing the Dubliner up to the fence via a combination, Poirier stunned the former featherweight and lightweight champion, before scoring a massive right-hook knockdown — finishing with a subsequent right hand which knocked McGregor out.

Whilst UFC president, Dana White floated the possibility of a vacant title matchup between Poirier and co-headlining winner, ‘Iron’ Michael Chandler, the former distanced himself from a pairing with the new arrival, claiming Chandler needs to lay out a body of work under his new banner before fighting for a title.

A couple of names dropped by Poirier was, of course, McGregor, and once scheduled UFC 230 foe, Nate Diaz. Both Poirier and Diaz have shared the Octagon twice with McGregor, and the two, respectively hold 1-1 records against the Crumlin native.
Hoping to get back that defeat to Poirier, Straight Blast Gym head coach, John Kavanagh spoke with ESPN MMA reporter, Ariel Helwani on Monday afternoon, noting Team McGregor’s plans to secure a rubber-match with Poirier before the summer.

“He’s (Conor McGregor’s) already harassing everybody to get the rematch [with Dustin Poirier],” Kavanagh said. “So we would love the rematch. I don’t think Dustin is against that [a third fight]. Yeah, if we could get the rematch before the summer that’d be amazing. If it’s not to be, well then — I guess I don’t really know. Maybe he drifts off into the boxing side so, if the MMA community could help me here and get behind me and pester the UFC to give him another fight sooner rather than later, so I don’t lose him for six months to boxing, I’d appreciate that.“

Kavanagh detailed how because the fact Poirier vs. McGregor II didn’t feature any title up for grabs, and with the score sitting level at one-a-piece, it makes sense to round out a trilogy with championship spoils on the line next.

“That’s the big drive — that’s the story [a third fight for a title],” Kavanagh said. “It’s 1-1, one-a-piece, they’re right up there in the rankings, they’re very popular fighters the two of them. I think they’ve a beautiful matchup, I think — stylistically, it’s beautiful to watch I’d love to see lots and lots of rounds of the two of them.“

“Dustin’s obviously riding high with confidence now. And with the more experience and the more weight, he took some of those shots and I’m sure he feels — I’m sure his confidence is super high at the moment. We have to fix that technique with the leg and watch out for a couple of other things as well. But, Dustin vs. Conor III for the belt, in I don’t know — May or something like that, wouldn’t that be amazing?“

John Kavanagh Plans To Fix The ‘Technical Issues’ In Conor McGregor’s UFC 257 Loss

Making his Octagon return for the time in just over a year at UFC 257 on Saturday, former two-weight world champion, ‘The Notorious’ Conor McGregor succumbed to strikes in his lightweight rematch against Dustin ‘The Diamond’ Poirier, and head coach, John Kavanagh already has plans to address some “technical issues” as he put it, from […]

Claiming the opening round against two-time foe, Poirier, McGregor ate a couple of nasty calf kicks from the American Top Team mainstay, who was flanked in his corner by renowned striker, former welterweight title challenger, Thiago ‘The Pitbull’ Alves. The 32-year-old also suffered an opening-round single-leg takedown from the masterful Poirier, before the two exchanged some good counters of their own after a clinch battle at the fence.

Noticeably feeling the effects of Poirier’s somewhat surprising leg kick offence in the second round, McGregor’s southpaw lead seemed to buckle before the Lafayette native stunned him with a sharp flurry at the fence. Attempting to find a much-needed exit, McGregor was clipped with a flush right hook from Poirier, sending him to his back before the first of two ground shots rendered him unconscious. The stoppage defeat marked the first time McGregor had been finished with strikes in his professional mixed martial arts career.

It’s total redemption for Poirier who brings the tie level at one-a-piece from their two outings against each other and puts himself in prime position to challenge for lightweight gold in his next walk, be that against current champion, Khabib Nurmagomedov, which seems unlikely, or even with a vacant title up for grabs. The Louisianan has already poured cold water on a floated vacant title affair between himself and co-main event winner, Michael Chandler, noting how he’d be interested in clashing with the streaking, Charles ‘Do Bronx’ Oliveira instead, or even a trilogy with McGregor, or a grudge-match with once-scheduled foe, Nate Diaz.

Releasing a statement on the Wimp2Warrior Instagram page, Straight Blast Gym leader, Kavanagh reflected on Saturday’s result and performance against Poirier, detailing how the camp is in good spirits as they remain in Dubai — with plans to right the technical wrongs ahead of an Octagon return.

“We had a big fight and unfortunately this time, we came up short but here’s the secret; you live with it, we are all disappointed but we’re OK!” Kavanagh said. “In Conor’s (McGregor) case, certainly, the last six months have been amazing. The discipline and effort that he’s put in. When you’ve done that when you’ve left no stone unturned, you’ve made every training session, you made weight the right way, you’ve made the walk, you competed as hard as you possibly could.“

“Competition has two sides to the coin — winning and losing — and sometimes it’s going to fall on the losing side. That’s something you have to get used to — the quicker you get used to failing, the quicker you are going to have success.“

“We’ve woken up this morning, we’re back on the yacht in Dubai and guess what, the sun rose and we all still love Conor. We are going to pick ourselves up and figure out some of the technical issues that went against us on the night, fix them, get back up on the horse and go again. Win or learn.” (H/T Pundit Arena)

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Saturday’s Octagon appearance for McGregor marked the first time in twelve months that he had competed, and prior to last January’s forty-second knockout win over Donald ‘Cowboy’ Cerrone, you’d be pushed back another fifteen months to find his Octagon outing against the above mentioned, Nurmagomedov at UFC 229.

Speaking with UFC commentator, Jon Anik afterwards, a dejected McGregor spoke of his disappointment in the result and claimed he’s still gunning for an active schedule in 2021, detailing how one can’t expect to be at their best come fight night if they approach Octagon appearances in a sporadic fashion.

Khabib Nurmagomedov Reacts To Conor McGregor’s UFC 257 Loss

Well, Khabib ‘The Eagle’ Nurmagomedov has shared his thoughts on arch-rival, ‘The Notorious’ Conor McGregor’s shocking knockout loss to Dustin ‘The Diamond’ Poirier at UFC 257 tonight. Headlining the Abu Dhabi event against two-time foe, Poirier, 32-year-old striker, McGregor started well against the Louisiana native, finding range with his patented straight left hand, before Poirier […]

Well, Khabib ‘The Eagle’ Nurmagomedov has shared his thoughts on arch-rival, ‘The Notorious’ Conor McGregor’s shocking knockout loss to Dustin ‘The Diamond’ Poirier at UFC 257 tonight.

Headlining the Abu Dhabi event against two-time foe, Poirier, 32-year-old striker, McGregor started well against the Louisiana native, finding range with his patented straight left hand, before Poirier round an opening with a series of leg kicks, before scoring a somewhat suprising single leg takedown.

Forcing the Dubliner back to the fence, Poirier and McGregor eventually tied up in the clinch, with the two exchanging a couple of shoulder strikes in the clinch before some separation after a splitting elbow from McGregor. Constantly chopping away with damaging calf kick to the Dubliner, Poirier ate a counter left hand. Before the buzzer, the American Top Team staple replied with a well placed check right hook.

Scoring a couple more notable debilitating calf kicks, Poirier eventually backed McGregor up to the fence, where he began unloading with a series of hooks, hurting the former two-weight world champion. Dropping McGregor with a well-placed right hook, Poirier landed a couple of ground-and-pound strikes, shutting off the Dubliner’s lights before referee, Herb Dean stopped the barrage.

Inserting himself in title contention with the victory, Poirier may have lined himself up for a possible vacant title outing against event co-headliner, ‘Iron’ Michael Chandler who himself scored an incredible opening frame knockout over Dan ‘The Hangman’ Hooker. Paid In Full for Poirier.

Reacting to rival, McGregor’s defeat, Khabib took to his official Twitter account, where he detailed how McGregor’s knockout defeat came from a result of a switch in approach, training partners, and claimed his UFC 229 foe was “far away from reality“.

“This is what happened (sic), when you change your team, leave the sparring partners that made you a champion and sparring with little kids, far away from reality.“

This is what happened, when you change your team, leave the sparring partners who made you a champion and sparring with little kids, far away from reality.

— khabib nurmagomedov (@TeamKhabib) January 24, 2021