Islam Makhachev is still expecting to share the Octagon with Beneil Dariush at some point.
Islam Makhachev is knocking on the door of a UFC title shot. The young up-and-coming fighter has been making waves in the UFC lightweight division for several years now. Coming up under the tutelage of Khabib Nurmagomedov, Makhachev is one of the most hyped fighters at 155 pounds at the moment. He will be fighting in the main event of tonight's UFC Vegas 49 card against Bobby Green.
Green is a last-minute stand-in; however, as Makhachev's original opponent, Beneil Dariush was forced out of the bout with an injury recently. Dariush is sitting in the number three spot in the lightweight division rankings. Makhachev was hoping that defeating Dariush would put him even closer to a possible fight with champion Charles Oliveira. Now, with the unranked Green as his next opponent, Makhachev's title aspirations could be in jeopardy.
Makhachev is disappointed in Dariush's withdrawal from the fight, but he expects this chapter to be finished at a later date.
“I’m a little bit sad because Beneil injured," Makhachev told
The extent of Dariush's injuries will require him to be out of competition for a bit. He recently updated his condition to let fans know that he may not be requiring surgery, and his timetable for a return is unknown at this time.
Do you think that Islam Makhachev can still receive a title shot with a victory over Bobby Green at UFC Vegas 49 on Saturday night?