Islam Makhachev seems a little disappointed that Charles Oliveira beat Beneil Dariush.
Oliveira and Dariush faced off in the co-main event of UFC 289, with “Do Bronx” winning by first-round TKO. A win would have guaranteed Dariush a title shot but now, the next challenger for Makhachev’s lightweight belt is up in the air. UFC President Dana White suggested Oliveira probably gets the opportunity, but there is also an upcoming fight between former interim champion Dustin Poirier and Justin Gaethje at UFC 291 that Makhachev says could also play a factor.
“The fight was good,” Dariush told reporters at an Eagle FC event over the weekend (video and translation courtesy of YukaHero). “Oliveira won, but I was rooting for Dariush. I thought it would be a new challenge for me. Dariush had eight wins in a row. I don’t know. I can’t say yet if my next fight will be a rematch against Charles. We have to wait. Now Justin and Dustin will fight, and then the UFC will decide…
“Of course I want a new name on my resume,” Makhachev continued. “It’ll be better for me. [But] if I don’t fight Oliveira now, everyone will say that I am avoiding him. I never choose my opponents. I will fight anyone the UFC gives me.”
Makhachev previously fought Oliveira at UFC 280, submitting “Do Bronx” to claim the vacant lightweight title. The UFC is currently scheduled to return to Abu Dhabi for UFC 294, almost exactly one year to the day from their first fight, and while Oliveira’s team believes a rematch would fo very differently, Makhachev is convinced history would repeat itself.
“I don’t think he can do anything,” Makhachev said. “I’m not afraid of his grappling like the rest of the fighters. I can take him down at any time.”
Another possible option for Makhachev would be Alexander Volkanovski. The two had an extremely competitive fight at UFC 284, with Makhachev winning a unanimous decision to retain his lightweight title. Volkanovski is returning to featherweight for a title unification bout against interim champion Yair Rodriguez at UFC 290 in July, but if he could make the turnaround, Makhachev says he’s would also take that fight.
“Volkanovski is exactly the same,” Makhachev said. “If they offer a rematch with Volkanovski, I will gladly accept it. I have said many times that I would be much better prepared.”
The issue for Makhachev with both Oliveira and Volkanovski is that he’s already beaten them. Like his friend and training partner Khabib Nurmagomedov, Makhachev may walk away from the sport sooner rather than later, and so the idea of spending his remaining fights in rematches seems to have less appeal for the Dagestani champion. Instead, Makhachev appears to be genuinely disappointed that Dariush fell short against Oliveira.
“I don’t know. Maybe Poirier,” Makhachev said when asked who he’d prefer to face. “He has a big name in the UFC. Can’t say for sure. Dariush lost, everything turned upside down. I can’t say anything for now… If he had beat Oliveira it would have been a good fight.”
UFC 294 will take place on Oct. 21 at the Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi, and is expected to be headlined by a lightweight title defense from Makhachev.