While Islam Makhachev has just beaten Volkanovski on Saturday night, Dana White has already identified the lightweight champion’s next opponent.
Islam Makhachev won in style in the main event of UFC 294 in Abu Dhabi against Alexander Volkanovski. Indeed, the Russian folded his fight in the first round by KO, thus succeeding in his second title defense. A title that he obtained in October 2022 in Abu Dhabi, already against Charles Oliveira.
اسلام ماخاشيف بطل UFC "الضربة القاضية والحاسمة"!!!
Islam Makhachev, UFC champion, “knockout and decisive blow”#fighter #chechnya #dagestan pic.twitter.com/pqJOtbxH3A
— mmamag.ma (@jamalsoussi10) October 21, 2023
The Brazilian was initially scheduled for the main event of UFC 294 this Saturday against Islam Makhachev. However, an injury to his eyebrow forced him to give up the fight. Hence the short notice of the fight by Alexander Volkanovski. But for UFC boss Dana White, the Brazilian is not out of the running in the quest for the -70kg title:
“I think we have to give Oliveira this chance, he was ready to take this fight, unfortunately he had a cut. »
What about Justin Gaethje?
It remains to be seen what the UFC matchmakers think, but Dana White’s proposal makes sense. After his defeat against Makhachev, Oliveira reacted brilliantly by winning in the first round against Beneil Dariush last June. This convinced the UFC to give him another chance, but his injury a little over a week before the event thwarted the organization’s plans.
I’m next
— Justin Gaethje 🇺🇸 (@Justin_Gaethje) October 21, 2023
It then remains to deal with the case of Justin Gaethje. Winner of the BMF belt in the second round against Dustin Poirier, the American immediately reacted to Makhachev’s victory on Saturday evening by tweeting “I’m next”. Except that he doesn’t seem to have the favor of Dana White to be one at the moment, at least not until Charles Oliveira tries his luck again. Justin Gaethje has already had his chance to win the title twice, he lost the first time against Khabib Nurmagomedov in 2020. His second defeat for the title was against Charles Oliveira in May 2022. Since , Gaethje remains on two more than convincing victories against Rafael Fiziev and Dustin Poirier.
