"Should I start worry?" - Islam Makhachev doubtful of Charles Oliveira's participation in upcoming fight as 'do Bronx' is yet to arrive in Abu Dhabi with two weeks remaining before UFC 280
With UFC 280 just two weeks away, Islam Makhachev has questioned whether he should be concerned about his fight with Charles Oliveira going ahead as the Brazilian and his team are yet to arrive in Abu Dhabi.
The event, taking place on Yas Island, is generating a huge amount of attention and is possibly the biggest fight card of the year. Alongside the lightweight title clash, fans will bear witness to a 135lbs championship bout between Aljamain Sterling and T.J. Dillashaw. The main card also features a high-level striking match between Sean O'Malley and Petr Yan.
In response to Charles Oliveira's delayed arrival in Abu Dhabi, Islam Makhachev took to Twitter to share his doubts about his opponent's reliability, wondering whether he should be skeptical about the fight going forward:
"2 weeks before the fight, Charles and his team [are] not in Abu Dhabi yet. Should I start [to] worry?"
2 weeks before the fight, Charles and his team not in Abu Dhabi yet., should I start worry ? 🤔🤔🤔 https://t.co/pyOBMo9D4O
Questions continue to surround Charles Oliveira for missing weight and being stripped of the lightweight belt at UFC 274.
Meanwhile, Islam Makhachev has been putting in the work and spending time on his offensive grappling with some elite wrestlers. Although he's approaching his toughest test since arriving in the sport, the Dagestani remains confident of walking away with the gold.
What will happen if Islam Makhachev or Charles Oliveira pulls out this close to UFC 280?
Although there have been no signs of Islam Makhachev or Charles Oliveira dropping out of their highly anticipated brawl, it is always a possibility for numerous reasons. So what happens if one of them doesn't make it to the fight?
While there shouldn't be anything to worry about at present, if either fighter is withdrawn from the fight, the UFC may have a ready-to-execute plan at hand. Recent reports have suggested that Alexander Volkanovski will be weighing-in as a potential backup for the title bout.
'The Great' has been on fire inside the octagon and was rightfully promoted to the No.1 pound-for-pound fighter in the UFC a couple of months back. Despite having a number of rising prospects at 145lbs all battling for a shot at his throne, the Australian is keen to try his luck at becoming a two-division world champion.
Alongside the featherweight king, the promotion has the choice of inserting one of Beneil Dariush and Mateusz Gamrot into the headliner, with the two 155-pounders already set to compete on the night.