Dagestani superstar and the current UFC lightweight champion Islam Makhachev is all set for his next fight. The Khabib Nurmagomedov protege will take on the UFC featherweight champ Alexander Volkanovski to defend his belt in the UFC 284 main event. However, he will face a lot of adversity as Islam is going to fight in his opponent’s backyard. But he has passed the very first challenge ahead of the bout.
Cutting down to 155 lbs was always hard for Islam Makhachev. Although he is not particularly a tall man, Makhachev’s weight has always been on the heavier side. In his last bout against Charles Oliveira at UFC 280, Makhachev also had a very tough time making the weight. It does not look like his weight-cutting process went much smoother this time around either!
Our main event is on! Islam Makhachev makes championship weight! 🏆
Second person to the scales as @makhachevmma hits 154.5lbs! ⚖️#UFC280 | Saturday, 7PM | BT Sport Box Office pic.twitter.com/LlnC4RI7kx
— UFC on TNT Sports (@ufcontnt) October 21, 2022
Alexander Volkanovski did not have much trouble making the weight for the lightweight title bout. As one can imagine, not having to cut an extra 10 lbs, to go down to featherweight, certainly made his job easier. But Makhachev looked shaky on the scales. He had to strip down completely to make the weight and looked very nervous about it.
Needless to say, he was very much a relieved man once the scale stopped at 155 lbs. Fans saw Charles Oliveira losing his title on the scales at UFC 274 for coming 0.5 lbs over the limit. But, while Makhachev will go inside the Octagon as the champ, he will not have Khabib Nurmagomedov in his corner.
Why is Khabib Nurmagomedov missing UFC 284 in Australia?
UFC legend and former lightweight champ, Khabib Nurmagomedov, is not a part of Islam Makhachev’s UFC 284 fight camp. Fans will definitely wonder why Khabib decided to skip the event. The Eagle was a massive part of Islam’s UFC 280 fight camp in UAE. Not only that, but Nurmagomedov also spent about $1 million on his own to ensure a smooth camp.
However, this time Nurmagomedov will be enjoying the fight from his home. Early in 2023, Nurmagomedov revealed his intentions to walk away from MMA. From taking part in fight camps to doing corner work, Khabib was not going to involve himself with anything. He even posted a picture on Instagram thanking all his coaches over the years to signify his hiatus.
UFC 280 saw Islam Makhachev fulfilling Abdulmanap Nurmagomedov‘s (Khabib’s father) dream. Before his tragic passing, Abdulmanap picked Islam to be the face of the sport after Khabib. Hence, Nurmagomedov handed Islam the title himself after his win over Charles Oliveira. As Nurmagomedov mentioned himself, it was a passing-the-torch moment for him. Perhaps The Eagle felt it was the perfect time for him to exit the sport.
Khabib is rooting for Islam Makhachev ahead of UFC 284
Although Khabib Nurmagomedov is not in Perth, that does not mean he has stopped supporting his protege. Khabib was always there for Islam, helping him during fight camps. Even though Khabib is enjoying father time now, he is still up-to-date with all the latest happenings in the camp. From weight cut to sparring, Khabib had his input in everything.
Islam spoke about it recently and revealed, “Yeah, everyday, every morning. First message, ‘hey, how is your weight?’ How you’re training? What did you do? Who you spar? And, also coach Javier (Mendez), other coaches they also send him the video from the sparring. He give me all good advice always, everyday.” (h/t via xcellentmma)
What is your take on it? Do you think Khabib Nurmagomedov’s advice will do the trick for Islam? Or do you think his absence will play a factor in Islam’s performance? Let us know in the comments down below.