Unfazed! Nice Guy Makhachev Brushes Off White’s Retort

Islam Makhachev has bigger fish to fry than Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) President, Dana White.

Ahead of UFC 284 this weekend (Sat., Feb. 11, 2023), the pair has had differing opinions on how good the promotion has been for the event. However, what came as a surprise was White forgetting his reigning Lightweight champion’s name during the UFC Vegas 68 post-fight press conference.

Despite Makhachev’s run in UFC extending to 2015, he has no hard feelings towards his boss (or anyone) when it comes to struggles with his name.

“For U.S. people, this is not easy my sir name, he forgot,” Makhachev told MMA Junkie. “But Makhachev not easy for the U.S., you know. ‘Nurmagomedov,’ I don’t hear anybody say right ever. Everybody did some mistake. I don’t care.

“For sure he respects all champions, but I don’t think bad about people,” he concluded.

Makhachev intends on fending off UFC Featherweight champion, Alexander Volkanovski, in their champion-versus-champion collision. The fight pits No. 1 and No. 2 against each other, according to the promotion’s official rankings. Because of that, Makhachev expressed recently how the building and buzz around the fight were lacking.

White took to the comments in typical fashion during fight week, explaining that the titleholder “doesn’t know anything” about how well the event is trending.

“All media, when I come they give me the same question, ‘What do you think about the event’s promotion?’ For me, I tell them I’m ready to travel around the world and promote this fight, but if UFC want or don’t want, I’m ready,” Makhachev said. “Two days ago, I talked to Dana on Instagram. We have some plans, but I’m waiting for his answer.”

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