"I know it’s not him" - Rafael dos Anjos explains why he refrained from responding to Islam Makhachev in latest Twitter exchange
Former UFC lightweight champion Rafael dos Anjos has decided not to respond to Islam Makhachev's latest callout. This is because he believes someone else is tweeting on behalf of the Dagestani fighter.
In Makhachev's latest tweet, he uncharacteristically referred to Rafael dos Anjos as a "pu**y" and also called the veteran fighter a "grandpa". He also accused the Brazilian of trying to find excuses to opt-out of the fight:
"Hey grandpa, what happened now? trying to find excuses to quit? Take the fight and start training, don’t be a pussy."
While he noticed the tweet, RDA refrained from responding because he doesn't think his potential opponent sent the tweet. Although he didn't disclose the name of the person he thinks is tweeting for Islam, it seems like dos Anjos could be referring to Makhachev's manager Ali Abdelaziz.
Abdelaziz has indulged in trash-talking with opponents and potential opponents of his clients in the past. He is often seen insulting Khabib Nurmagomedov's bitter rival Conor McGregor on social media. Perhaps Rafael dos Anjos thinks he's doing the same with him:
“If was Islam I would seriously reply, but I know it’s not him,” tweeted Rafael dos Anjos.
Beating Islam Makhachev will open doors to a rematch with Khabib, claims Rafael dos Anjos
Rafael dos Anjos recently took to Twitter to claim he's set to fight Makhachev in a main event clash on October 30. He also said that if he beats Makhachev, Khabib Nurmagomedov will step out of retirement to avenge his friend's defeat:
"I just heard back from the UFC that Islam accepted to fight me Oct 30 5 rounds in Abu Dhabi and Khabib agreed to come out of retirement to avenge his brother’s loss after that," wrote dos Anjos.
After breaking into the top 5 in the updated UFC lightweight rankings, Makhachev took to Twitter to take shots at the Brazilian. Earlier this year, Rafael dos Anjos indicated that he didn't consider Makhachev a top contender. In response, Makhachev reminded the Brazilian that he's now ranked higher than him and also promised to "smash" RDA in a potential fight.
Who do you think wins in a fight between Rafael dos Anjos and Islam Makhachev? Sound off in the comments.