Gaethje? Gamrot? Islam Details Road To Volk

Makhachev explained the UFC’s process of re-booking his main event fight in Abu Dhabi after Charles Oliveira withdrew due to injury.

Justin Gaethje almost walked into a short-notice title fight against Islam Makhachev at UFC 294, but “The Highlight” couldn’t make 155 pounds on two week’s notice.

That’s the word from UFC lightweight champion Islam Makhachev, who will fight Alexander Volkanovski on October 21 in Abu Dhabi after Charles Oliveira withdrew due to a bad cut above his eye. In a new interview with TSN’s Aaron Bronsteter, Makhachev shared the play-by-play on how the rematch with Volkanovski came together.

“Today I wake up for the morning pray and after I just open my WhatsApp and saw the message,” Makhachev said. “My manager Ali [Abdelaziz] send me message, ‘Your opponent pull out.’ And I just give him message back: ‘Hey find someone, doesn’t matter who it be,’ I want to fight in Abu Dhabi because I’m already close to the weight and last three months training was hard. I want to beat someone.”

“After I wake up, I go back to sleep and I wake up for the training and he send a picture, it’s gonna be second round with Volkanovski.”

Some fans have been confused by the UFC’s choice, given Mateusz Gamrot had already been designated the back-up opponent for UFC 294. But apparently that’s only in case one fighter or another misses weight. As it stands, Gamrot will still be in Abu Dhabi, on deck in case something goes wrong on weigh-in day.

“At first they give me Gamrot, I hear that Gamrot gonna get this fight,” Islam said. “But when they say it’s gonna be Volkanovski, it’s not big surprise for me because this guy, what he lose? He take fight ten days short notice. He will come, he don’t put his belt [on the line]. Make money, that’s it.”

As for who he’d pick if he had the choice?

“Hard to pick someone in 10 days,” he said. “I heard they call Gaethje, but Gaethje say he can’t make weight. Because 10 days. We don’t have many opinion. Of course I don’t want to fight with someone from out of the rankings, you know? But I said ‘Just find someone.’ I am best in the world. I never say ‘Yes, no,’ or choose someone. I just sign the contract.”

In the end, Makhachev is happy he’ll be able to silence the doubters that accused him of underperforming (or flat out losing) in Australia when he and Volkanovski fought in February. He didn’t even end up moving past Volk in the pound-for-pound rankings.

“Honestly I am happy because last fight … after last fight we have many questions,” he said. “All the answers are gonna be in Abu Dhabi.”