UFC Champ Islam Makhachev Praises the FA Cup for Stopping Play to Allow Manchester United’s Mazraoui Break His Ramadan Fast

Manchester United’s FA Cup clash against Fulham was full of drama, late goals, penalty shootout heartbreak, and a beautiful moment that caught the attention of UFC champion Islam Makhachev.

The match ended in disappointment for United as they crashed out of the tournament in penalties, but one of the biggest talking points was fullback Noussair Mazraoui. The Moroccan international observing Ramadan paused during the game to break his fast after sunset—a rare but increasingly recognized moment in elite sports.

This has been a norm throughout the Premier League, where the courtesy has been offered to players of the Islamic faith to take a moment and hydrate themselves in the middle of the match.

Makhachev shared the moment on his Instagram story, praising both Mazraoui and the FA for allowing the Moroccan player to hydrate mid-game.

In light of the current state of this world, this was a powerful image—an elite athlete competing at the highest level while maintaining his faith and commitment, with the help of a culturally diverse group of teammates.

For Makhachev and his camp, Team Khabib, fasting isn’t just a religious obligation—it’s a principle they refuse to compromise. It’s well known that fighters from Dagestan, including Khabib Nurmagomedov, never take fights during Ramadan.

The reasoning is simple: their priorities don’t change, no matter what opportunities arise. Khabib once turned down a major fight offer, saying, “Fasting is more important than anything else. If you don’t respect your religion, how can you expect anyone to respect you?”

Makhachev has also followed in Khabib’s footsteps. Every year, during Ramadan, he scales back training and focuses on faith, recovery, and spending time with his family.

The UFC also understands that Makhachev and other Muslim fighters won’t compete during this period, and promotions often plan around it.

However, the promotion can only accommodate so much. Sometimes, fights have to be made and titles have to be defended. In this particular case, the Muslim fighter in question has been demanding a title shot for over a year.

And now that he’s got it, this 205-er is happy to fight through Ramdan, even though it means an improper diet before the biggest fight of his career.

Ankalaev talks fighting during Ramadan

UFC lightweight contender Magomed Ankalaev sees fighting during Ramadan as a test of his faith rather than a distraction from it. Given a choice, he probably wouldn’t fight during this month.

But the champion, Alex Pereira, has made him wait for a very long time for this opportunity despite Ankalaev’s persistent efforts at proving himself a worthy successor.

“Yes, it was very difficult. But there were no other options. It was a chance, and we are taking it.”, Ankalaev told the media ahead of UFC 313 this weekend.

If he actually manages to pull it off at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada on March 8, he will not only have claimed his UFC gold but also become an inspiration to people everywhere; people who are faced with a dilemma between faith and their future.