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MMA manager Ali Abdelaziz claims Islam Makhachev will emerge victorious in his upcoming fight with former lightweight champion Rafael dos Anjos at UFC 267. According to ESPN journalist Brett Okamoto, Abdelaziz believes Makhachev will get the job done via submission late in the second round or early in the third.
Islam Makhachev is currently ranked number five in the lightweight rankings and will be facing an opponent ranked lower than him in dos Anjos. However, Abdelaziz claims that beating the former champ should warrant a title shot up next for the Dagestani. Whether or not he will get it, only time will tell. But first, Makhachev needs to get past RDA.
"If Islam wins, he should fight for the title next. And I'm predicting a finish by submission late in the second round or early in the third," said Abdelaziz to ESPN.
Rafael dos Anjos and Islam Makhachev were initially supposed to fight at UFC 254 back in October 2020, but the fight got shelved after RDA tested positive for COVID-19. The bout was rescheduled for November but was called off due to Makhachev contracting a staph infection.
After his recent win over Thiago Moises, Islam Makhachev called out RDA, and the veteran fighter accepted the challenge. Over the past few weeks, the pair have also engaged in a series of verbal back-and-forths on social media.
Brett Okamoto first broke the news of a fight between dos Anjos and Makhachev being booked. Both fighters have agreed to fight each other at UFC 267 in October. UFC 267 is a non-pay-per-view numbered event that will air live on ESPN+.
Islam Makhachev wants to send Rafael dos Anjos into retirement
In an interview with MMA Junkie, Islam Makhachev stated that Rafael dos Anjos is way past his prime and that he wants to help him retire from the sport. Calling RDA an 'old guy,' Makhachev said that the Brazilian avoids tough fights and is still competing only for the sake of money.
“RDA is good for me next, but this guy always ran. Now he says, ‘I want to fight with Conor or Khabib,' and last week, Conor slapped him at the weigh-in, and he did nothing. This guy always ran. This guy is old. Yeah, I understand him. He want to make money, but I want to help him retire.”
Who do you think gets his hand raised at UFC 267? Sound off in the comments!
