Sorry Oliveira And Tsarukyan! Makhachev Not Interested In Running It Back

No more rematches for the UFC Lightweight champion.

Islam Makhachev is currently awaiting his next fight, and there isn’t a clear next opponent. UFC CEO Dana White made it clear after UFC 280 that Charles Oliveira would rematch Makhachev next, but after Arman Tsarukyan’s brutal knockout win last weekend, he threw a wrench into the plans.

However, in a recent interview, Makhachev revealed he is uninterested in fighting those two fighters because he has already beaten them both.

“To be honest, I’ve already told [UFC] I’m not interested in rematches,” Makhachev said. “Because if you want to [be a champion] in a good way, you have to add new names. There is [Justin] Gaethje, who I would say deserved a fight. I think it would be more interesting to fight him.”

Makhachev added that he wants to fight at UFC 299 in Miami, FL, which would take place the day before Ramadan, a holiday the champion celebrates yearly.

It makes sense why Makhachev is currently tired of rematches, mainly because he is coming off a second fight with Alexander Volkanovski, where he starched the Featherweight champion in the first round (watch highlights).

Nevertheless, three deserving Lightweights are chomping at the bit to get a shot at the Dagastani champion. Gaethje is coming off a highlight head-kick knockout of Dustin Poirier at UFC 291. Oliveira is coming off a knockout of Dariush at UFC 289 and had a shot against Makhachev, but a nasty cut derailed his rematch.

He could fight all three next year too.

Who should Makhachev fight next?

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