"All arena is gonna be my people" - Islam Makhachev is anticipating a big reception from the crowd when he competes at UFC 267
Islam Makhachev expects a big reception from the crowd in Abu Dhabi, UAE, when he competes there at the upcoming UFC 267 event. Ahead of his pivotal clash against Dan Hooker, Islam Makhachev spoke to BT Sport about being heralded amongst the prominent faces of MMA in the UAE.
Apart from his childhood friend and training partner – former UFC lightweight champion and retired MMA icon Khabib Nurmagomedov – Makhachev is one of the biggest names in the UAE MMA circles. He hails from Dagestan, Russia, but is no stranger to Abu Dhabi. Makhachev enjoys a massive fan-following in all of the United Arab Emirates.
During the interview, Islam Makhachev was questioned whether he felt the pressure about being one of the main faces of MMA in the UAE. Makhachev responded to this by stating:
“No, you know. I like Abu Dhabi. Because my family, my friends, lot of my friends can come to Abu Dhabi. Because from Russia, (Abu Dhabi is) just three hours, and nobody need visa. That’s why it’s, all arena is gonna be my people.” Makhachev was also asked if he knows that a lot of people will be traveling to Abu Dhabi for the event. He replied by saying, “Yeah, well, I know. A lot of peoples come.”
Watch Islam Makhachev’s interview with BT Sport below:
Islam Makhachev is on the cusp of a shot at the UFC lightweight title
Islam Makhachev is riding high on the momentum of an eight-fight win streak. Many in the MMA community, including retired UFC megastar Khabib Nurmagomedov, have consistently maintained that Makhachev can be the next dominant champion in the UFC lightweight division.
In the aftermath of then-UFC lightweight champion Khabib Nurmagomedov retiring from the sport of MMA last October, Charles Oliveira subsequently captured the vacant UFC lightweight title. Oliveira, who won the belt in May this year, is scheduled to defend it against Dustin Poirier this December.
Meanwhile, No. 5-ranked UFC lightweight Islam Makhachev is set to face No. 6-ranked Dan Hooker. The consensus is that the winner of this fight could earn a shot at the winner of Oliveira vs. Poirier for the lightweight title. It's also likely that the winner of this fight faces the winner of the Michael Chandler vs. Justin Gaethje fight at UFC 268.