A little over a week before UFC 294, a major setback occurred in the main event. The former UFC lightweight champion Charles Oliveira had to withdraw from his rematch against champion Islam Makhachev due to a severe facial injury. The Brazilian fighter will now be replaced by the UFC featherweight champion, Alexander Volkanovski. Nevertheless, the Dagestanis, known for their fearlessness, promptly signaled their readiness to embrace the new challenge. In a recent Instagram post, Khabib Nurmagomedov announced that Islam Makhachev was prepared for a showdown with Volkanovski. Thus, fueling the excitement among UFC fans for this highly anticipated event.
Coach Khabib Nurmagomedov joined the camp just days ago to prepare Makhachev against the Brazilian. However, an unexpected twist in the narrative means they will now face the PFP #2 UFC fighter. Nevertheless, ‘The Eagle’ demonstrated his unwavering determination, stating that they were prepared to take on even ‘King Kong’.
Khabib Nurmagomedov shares Islam Makhachev is prepared for Alexander Volkanovski
Despite sharing a similar pedigree, Charles Oliveira and Alexander Volkanovski have distinct fighting styles. The featherweight champion boasts a well-rounded game, while Oliveira combines strong wrestling skills with a recently refined striking ability.
With just over a week to prepare for a new strategy against a different opponent, any fighter would understandably feel anxious. However, that is not the cloth from which the Dagestanis are cut.
‘The Eagle‘ recently shared his insights on the upcoming fight in a video and posted it on his social media accounts, including Instagram. He said:
“If somebody can make 155 [lbs] and UFC say, ‘this guy is a contender’. Who cares? Doesn’t matter, doesn’t matter, who? Brother if King Kong can make 155. Okay, bring this guy over here. Doesn’t matter!“
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Some fans may be disappointed that Oliveira vs. Makhachev 2 won’t happen. But the much-anticipated rematch between ‘The Great’ and Makhachev has stirred excitement within the MMA community.
The UFC has truly delivered, and there’s palpable anticipation for these matchups, setting them apart from other replacements.
Given the success of their last encounter, which ended with a controversial decision, fans are eagerly awaiting the outcome of this fight. What’s even more intriguing is Makhachev’s message for Volkanovski, adding to the growing hype.
Makhachev’s message for ‘Volk’
The clash between the UFC lightweight champion and Volkanovski had the potential to be a fight-of-the-year contender. However, as mentioned above, the main event at UFC 284 concluded with a somewhat controversial decision, where Makhachev was declared the winner via unanimous decision.
Many felt that Volkanovski deserved to win and it should have been a split decision, at least. Consequently, there was room for excuses and explanations. This time around, ‘The Great’ is stepping up for the fight on short notice.
Nonetheless, in a recent Instagram post, the Russian-based fighter has cautioned the Australian not to use it as an excuse when the fight ends. He said:
“Respect for taking this fight on short notice Alex, but don’t use it as an excuse after the fight #ufc294 #round2“
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Despite the determination and grit of the Dagestanis, the first fight implies that this battle will be hard fought. Therefore, it is still uncertain who will emerge victorious in this clash of champions.
