‘They wanted to give me time to rest’

Undisputed UFC lightweight champion Islam Makhachev claims he may continue to miss fights Octagon Until the promotion returns to Abu Dhabi, UAE later this year.

Makhachev, the current undisputed lightweight champion, headlined UFC 284 last month in Perth, Australia – his first title defense.

Makhachev successfully defended his lightweight title against undisputed featherweight champion Alexander Volkanovski – securing a unanimous decision victory over the NSW favorites.

Makhachev won the vacant lightweight title on “Fight Island” last October – a previously unrecognizable feat that Makhachev stopped with a second-round arm triangle choke in the UFC 280 main event. Disputed champion Charles Oliveira.

As Islam Makhachev weighs his options for his next title defense attempt, he has been linked with a potential fight between Beneil Dariush and the aforementioned Oliveira – who fought in May – and former two heavyweight champion Conor McGregor.

Islam Makhachev expected to remain sidelined until ‘Battle Island’ returns

Note that he intends to compete at welterweight in the future as well Aiming to become two-punch champion, Makhachev revealed he may be restricted by the UFC to bouts on “Fight Island” – with officials urging the USA Kickboxing Academy star to take time to rest and recover.

“They all say, Sean Shelby [UFC matchmaker]Hunter(Campbell { [UFC Chief Business Officer[, Dana (White) [UFC president] – they all said, ‘We want to give you some time to rest, we want to see you in Abu Dhabi,'” Islam Makhachev said in an interview weighing. “In my opinion, I think they are [the UFC] will give me [a fight in] June, maybe August, some fighting. [But] They said, ‘You will come back to Abu Dhabi. ‘”

After UFC 285 earlier this month, Makhachev dropped to No. 3 in the official pound-for-pound rankings — below the aforementioned Volkanovski and the newly-minted heavyweight champion, jon jones – after his submission beat Ciryl Gane to the top spot.