Islam Makhachev had to pull out of his UFC main event last weekend, against former Lightweight Champion, Rafael Dos Anjos. RDA won by decision, and afterwards, Makhachev said that he wanted to settle his business with RDA soon.
According to ESPN, Makhachev has now left Las Vegas and is recovering from his infection. His manager, Ali Abdelaziz, who is also Khabib Nurmagomedov’s manager, has stated that Makhachev is looking to return as soon as February.
Update on Islam Makhachev (@MAKHACHEVMMA), he has left Las Vegas and is recovering from the infection that forced him out of last weekend's main event against Rafael dos Anjos. According to his manager Ali Abdelaziz (@AliAbdelaziz00), Islam is looking to return in February.
— Brett Okamoto (@bokamotoESPN) November 16, 2020
As Dos Anjos beat the number 7th ranked contender, he is likely to jump in and around the top 5 now. So the question is now on what’s next for Islam Makhachev.
Islam is currently ranked 12th in the Lighweight division. Potential opponents could include: Drew Dober, Gregor Gillespie. Kevin Lee, Al Iaquinta, Diego Ferreira, Paul Felder or Charles Oliveira. Most of which are accomplished grapplers and very experienced in the UFC. But the most interesting could be Iaquinta, who Khabib Nurmagomedov won his title from after going the distance with at UFC 223.
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