Rafael dos Anjos believes Islam Makhachev got caught in a bluff when dos Anjos accepted his offer to fight on short notice at UFC 272.
dos Anjos was supposed to face Rafael Fiziev in the co-main event of UFC 272 before Fiziev recently pulled out due to COVID-19. We now know that dos Anjos will be facing Renato Moicano at the event, but just yesterday, Makhachev volunteered to step up.
Makhachev and dos Anjos were supposed to fight on multiple occasions in the past, with both fighters pulling out.
In a Monday tweet, Makhachev called out Dos Anjos for the new UFC 272 co-headliner.
"170 ??? Let's do it," Makhachev said. "We have unfinished business RDA."
After getting word of Makhachev's callout, Dos Anjos sounded game for a short-notice bout against him in the UFC 272 co-main event.
"170Ibs I'm in!!" Dos Anjos said. "Let's go!!! Don't run!!"
Following the announcement of the UFC selecting Moicano as the replacement, dos Anjos took a parting shot at Makhachev.
"I called his bluff and he folded. Let's move on..." dos Anjos wrote.
Makhachev was supposed to face Beneil Dariush last weekend before Dariush pulled out with an injury. Instead, he defeated Bobby Green via first-round TKO in the UFC Vegas 49 main event.
There is no word on why Makhachev will not be facing dos Anjos at UFC 272, but it may have something to do with Makhachev already being widely considered to be the #1 contender for the winner of the upcoming Charles Oliveira/Justin Gaethje title fight.
Do you think we will ever see Islam Makhachev vs. Rafael dos Anjos?