Former undisputed light-weight champion, Khabib Nurmagomedov has confirmed how his protege, Islam Makhachev is lined as much as make his return to motion initially of subsequent yr, revealing how UFC officers had approached the Russian camp with a January outing for the pound-for-pound primary.
Makhachev, the present undisputed light-weight champion, most not too long ago featured at UFC 302 again in Could in New Jersey. efficiently defending his crown for the third straight outing.
Delivering a Struggle of the Evening displaying in opposition to former interim light-weight titleholder, Dustin Poirier, Makhachev would land a fifth spherical D’Arce choke submission win over the Lafayette striker, bettering his skilled report to 26-1 in consequence.
And dominated from an anticipated comeback at UFC 308 on the finish of subsequent month in Abu Dhabi, UAE, Makhachev withdrew from the occasion citing an unspecified arm harm, ruling him from a focused rematch with surging primary ranked contender, Arman Tsarukyan.
Khabib Nurmagomedov confirms January return for Islam Makhachev probably
And whereas anticipated to tackle the Armenian at first in his return to motion, Makhachev could also be obtainable to struggle as quickly as January based on his head coach and shut good friend, Nurmagomedov, who claimed the camp “accepted” an offer to fight in January — with the promotion anticipated to host a UFC 311 card in California.
“UFC provided us a struggle already, in January,” Khabib Nurmagomedov stated of Islam Makhachev’s future during an appearance in Indonesia.
Within the midst of a spectacular 14-fight unbeaten streak, Makhachev landed the vacant light-weight crown with a submission win over Charles Oliviera again in 2022, earlier than happening to land a pair of consecutive profitable title defenses in opposition to then-featherweight champion, Alexander Volkanovski earlier than his submission of Poirier.
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