via Getty
CALGARY, AB – JULY 28: Islam Makhachev of Russia celebrates after his submission victory over Kajan Johnson of Canada in their lightweight bout during the UFC Fight Night event at Scotiabank Saddledome on July 28, 2018 in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. (Photo by Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images)
via Getty
CALGARY, AB – JULY 28: Islam Makhachev of Russia celebrates after his submission victory over Kajan Johnson of Canada in their lightweight bout during the UFC Fight Night event at Scotiabank Saddledome on July 28, 2018 in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. (Photo by Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images)
Islam Makhachev will return to action against Rafael Dos Anjos at UFC 267. The pair would have clashed in 2020. However, injury to Makhachev forced him to withdraw. Nevertheless, the fight is finally happening, and it is expected to be a barn-burner.
The UFC 267 pay-per-view will take place on October 30. The lightweight duo will clash in a 3-round contest. Makhachev and Dos Anjos have had some back-and-forth exchanges recently on social media. The former lightweight champion issued a warning to his Dagestani opponent after the official announcement of the contest.
Islam Makhachev and RDA will settle their unfinished business 😤
Both sides have agreed to the lightweight bout at UFC 267 on Oct. 30. (via @bokamotoESPN) pic.twitter.com/ij12IThmjf
— ESPN MMA (@espnmma) August 3, 2021
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“He’s been talking a lot of cr*p, let’s see who is who now,” Dos Anjos said to ESPN in a recent interview. “I’m looking at this as a No. 1 contender’s match, The winner should fight for the title,” said Makhachev’s manager Ali Abdelaziz.
"He's been talking a lot of crap, let's see who is who now," dos Anjos told ESPN.
"I'm looking at this as a No. 1 contender's match," Makhachev's manager Ali Abdelaziz told ESPN. "The winner should fight for the title."
— Brett Okamoto (@bokamotoESPN) August 3, 2021
"If Islam wins, he should fight for the title next. And I'm predicting a finish by submission late in the second round or early in the third," Abdelaziz to ESPN.
— Brett Okamoto (@bokamotoESPN) August 3, 2021
“If Islam wins, he should fight for the title next. And I’m predicting a finish by submission late in the second round or early in the third,” Abdelaziz added further.
In his last fight, Makhachev defeated Thiago Moises via a submission. This was his second submission win this year as he defeated Drew Dober at UFC 259 in the same way.
Islam Makhachev vs Rafael Dos Anjos: early breakdown
Dos Anjos has fought only killers throughout the course of his UFC career. The former champion has also faced former lightweight kingpin and Makhachev’s training partner, Khabib Nurmagomedov. However, he was out grappled in that contest. Many believe Makhachev possesses a similar style to ‘The Eagle’. Hence, this may be a deja-vu experience for Dos Anjos.
The UFC 267 bout will be Makhachev’s biggest test to date and his performance here will be an indication to his ability to compete with the top fighters.
via Imago
LAS VEGAS, NEVADA – NOVEMBER 14: Rafael Dos Anjos of Brazil reacts after his victory over Paul Felder in a lightweight fight during the UFC Fight Night event at UFC APEX on November 14, 2020 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC)
Dos Anjos is coming off a win against Paul Felder in his last fight. He announced his return to the lightweight division, where he was once a champion, in style. A successful outing against a prospect like Makhachev will make him relevant as a title challenger yet again.
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