Islam Makhachev volunteers for welterweight fight against Rafael dos Anjos at UFC 272, the Brazilian responds
Islam Makhachev has volunteered to face Rafael dos Anjos in a welterweight bout at UFC 272 this weekend. Dos Anjos was originally scheduled to face Rafael Fiziev in a lightweight matchup. Unfortunately, Fiziev was forced to pull out and Makhachev has offered to step in on seven days' notice.
On Monday, it was reported that Fiziev contracted COVID-19 and was forced to withdraw from his highly-anticipated fight against RDA. The duo were expected to lock horns in the co-main event of UFC 272, which is set to go down on March 5th at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Makhachev, who fought and beat Bobby Green just a few days ago at the UFC Apex facility in Las Vegas, has offered to take on dos Anjos on short notice. The Russian tweeted:
“170 ??? Let’s do it. We have unfinished business RDA @ufc @espnmma @bokamotoESPN @MMAjunkieJohn”
170 ??? Let’s do it. We have unfinished business RDA @ufc @espnmma @bokamotoESPN @MMAjunkieJohn twitter.com/mmajunkie/stat…
Dos Anjos replied, saying that he'd accept Makhachev's offer if the Dagestani fighter agreed to a catchweight of 165 lbs, rather than 170 lbs. The Brazilian tweeted:
“165lbs!! Division you guy created. I’m game.”
165lbs!! Division you guy created. I’m game. twitter.com/makhachevmma/s…
A lightweight bout between Islam Makhachev and Rafael dos Anjos has been scheduled and canceled thrice since 2020. Most recently, the Makhachev-RDA matchup was booked to take place at UFC 267 on October 30th, 2021.
RDA suffered an injury and pulled out of the UFC 267 matchup. Makhachev fought Dan Hooker instead and won via first-round submission.
@MakhachevMMA is NOT to be messed with! #UFC267MAKHACHEV SUBMITS HOOKER IN ROUND ONE.
🇷🇺 @MakhachevMMA is NOT to be messed with! #UFC267
@VisitAbuDhabi | @InAbuDhabi | #InAbuDhabi https://t.co/rGuHtZrOK6
Rafael dos Anjos on Islam Makhachev’s win over Dan Hooker
Islam Makhachev followed up his spectacular first-round submission win over Dan Hooker last October with a dominant first-round TKO win over Bobby Green this past Saturday. Many believe that Makhachev will face the winner of the upcoming lightweight title fight between Charles Oliveira and Justin Gaethje, which will be underway at UFC 274 on May 7th.
Rafael dos Anjos was rather unimpressed by Makhachev's win over Hooker at UFC 267. During an interview with RT Sport last year, dos Anjos asserted that Hooker’s lack of Brazilian jiu-jitsu skills is what cost him against the formidable Russian.
RDA emphasized that he’d utilize his superior grappling skills to neutralize Makhachev’s fearsome wrestling pedigree. Further addressing the mistakes Hooker made, the former UFC lightweight champion said:
"When he fought Islam [Makhachev] he wasn't there as well… He had fought the month before and I got hurt and he took the fight... When he took Hooker down, everybody who knows about fighting man, Dan Hooker was with his back flat on the ground. He couldn't even do a frame and stay on his side. That's basic Brazilian jiu-jitsu stuff."
Watch Rafael dos Anjos' interview with RT Sport below: