Light-weight champ Islam Makhachev has commented on the quick discover switch-up of opponents at UFC 294 that can see him rematch featherweight champ Alexander Volkanovski.
Makhachev was initially alleged to face Charles Oliveira on October twenty first in Abu Dhabi. A headbutt suffered by Oliveira in coaching has modified all that. Now “Do Bronx” is out and “The Nice” is in, establishing a second battle between the No. 2 and three ranked pound-for-pound fighters. They initially confronted off at UFC 284 in February 2023, with Makhachev profitable by choice with 48–47, 48–47, and 49–46 scorecards.
Volkanovski has been vocal in his opinion that he received their first assembly and much more adamant that he’d win a rematch. Now he’ll have an opportunity to show his phrases, albeit with simply two weeks to organize.
Makhachev is making it clear that he doesn’t wish to hear any complaining in regards to the circumstances surrounding the battle after he beats Volk for a second time.
“Respect for taking this battle on quick discover Alex, however don’t use it as an excuse after the battle,” he wrote on Instagram, tagging the put up #Round2.
Makhachev is deep in coaching for the Abu Dhabi scrap, and he has a not-so-secret weapon for the ultimate weeks of his camp: Khabib Nurmagomedov, who has returned from a near-complete withdrawl from the MMA world to assist coach his good friend. One other put up from Islam confirmed Coach Khabib working onerous alongside his former teammates.
We’re certain the depth of these exercises is barely going to extend now that Makhachev is combating Volkanovski once more. Following Mak’s win at UFC 284, his AKA coach Javier Mendez revealed that Khabib was greater than a bit of careworn about Volk main into their first battle.
“Khabib would name me up and would say, ‘Coach I’m actually anxious about this battle, Volkanovski is absolutely robust, I’m involved for Islam a bit of bit on this one,’” Mendez mentioned. “I used to be like, ‘I’m not, we’re gonna win this battle. I don’t know the way straightforward or how onerous, however we’re gonna win this battle. So, I do know you’re anxious Khabib, however I’m not anxious.’”
“And he goes, ‘I do know, I do know, coach, however we all know it is a robust battle, now we have to organize for a troublesome battle.’”
When Nurmagomedov known as Makhachev as much as congratulate him on the win, he mentioned he “aged 50 years” watching the battle.
“He advised me he was so nervous,” Makhachev mentioned on the UFC 284 post-fight press convention. “And he mentioned, ‘Why are you doing this, this, this this?’ If you happen to come too and for those who have been my nook, I can do that. However you didn’t come.”
We’ll see how a Khabib-backed Islam does in opposition to Alexander Volkanovski in two weeks time at UFC 294.
