There’s no denying that since Khabib Nurmagomedov’s retirement, Islam Makhachev has upheld the Dagestani legacy by defeating nearly every opponent he’s faced. Indeed, it’s hard to imagine him avoiding anyone, given that he’s already defeated some of the sport’s greats, from Charles Oliveira to Alexander Volkanovski. However, in a recent discussion with Brian Campbell, Arman Tsarukyan, ahead of his UFC 300 bout, claimed that Makhachev is avoiding him because he knows he could easily outclass him so the Dagestani is going for a big money fight.
Speaking to Morning Kombat, Tsarukyan was pressed on the fact that Makhachev is showing interest in fighting Dustin Poirier next, after which he will face the winner of the UFC 300 fight between Tsarukyan and Oliveira. ‘Ahalkalakets’ responded by expressing his belief that the current LW champ is avoiding Oliveira and himself, citing his strong wrestling skills as the reason for Makhachev’s avoidance.
“I feel like Islam wants to avoid us. He feels like I’m going to win. For him, it’s better to fight Poirier than me because I’m more dangerous for him. Because I know wrestling. Maybe he can make more money with Dustin. Probably because of that, he’s interested.”
According to Armenian fighters, money is also a possible reason why Makhachev is overlooking him. Given that Poirier is coming off a solid win and has an impressive resume and fan following, it makes more sense for him to fight Poirier as he’ll receive a bigger purse.
To be fair, the Dagestani initially wanted Justin Gaethje for June, but since he’d only have three months to recover and train, he’s now requested a fight with Poirier, which Tsarukyan thinks is for money. Meanwhile, Daniel Cormier has called Makhachev more dangerous than Khabib Nurmagomedov ahead of his next fight.
Daniel Cormier believes Islam Makhachev is even more dangerous than Khabib Nurmagomedov
Daniel Cormier recently chatted with Ben Askren about the lightweight division after UFC 299. In the video, DC said some fighters compare Makhachev to Nurmagomedov, but DC thinks the champ is even more dangerous. The reason he cites is that the current LW champ is not only good on the ground, but because he is also better at striking, it makes him even more dangerous.
DC also added that he believes Poirier’s win over Benoit Saint-Denis at UFC 299 is enough for him to earn another title shot. It would be perfect for Makhachev to fight him to become a bigger superstar. Now, it will be interesting to see whom he faces next.
