"It's not possible man" - Islam Makhachev sheds light on declining Leon Edwards fight at UFC 300

Islam Makhachev confirmed that he was offered a fight against Leon Edwards for the UFC 300 main event but admitted that the targeted date was "not possible."

Makhachev joined Mike Bohn of MMA Junkie, telling the reporter that a return in April would not be feasible due to his religious commitment to Ramadan. The UFC lightweight champion claimed he requested UFC 300 to be delayed by two weeks to accommodate his situation but was denied.

Makhachev said:

"Yes [I was offered a fight with Leon Edwards for UFC 300], but it's not possible, man. We have Ramadan now... All day you have to fast [with] just five to six hours you can eat something. Training [during] this time is very hard. I asked can they push UFC 300 back like two weeks [and] I would be ready, but they said it's not possible."

As one of the five pillars of Islam, most devout Muslims choose to fast during sunlit hours for the ninth month of the Islamic calendar. The process includes consuming no food or drink, including water, from the 12 hours between sunrise and sunset.

Many Muslim fighters, including Makhachev's close friend and former champion Khabib Nurmagomedov, choose not to fight during or shortly after Ramadan due to the effect that the fast has on the body.

Watch Islam Makhachev's comments on the potential of fighting at UFC 300 at 3:40 below:

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Islam Makhachev explains his desire to fight Dustin Poirier following UFC 299 knockout win

In his conversation with MMA Junkie, Islam Makhachev restated that he wants his next title defense to be against Dustin Poirier in June.

Makhachev said he has 'no options' at lightweight but wishes to stay active and is most intrigued by Poirier among the available contenders.

Makhachev said:

"I know Dustin is not deserving of the title fight but we don't have any options right now. Everybody's busy but I want to fight. I want to fight three times in the year. Dustin Poirier is free now... He's a legend, he beat a lot of top guys. And he's a tough opponent too, he have good guillotine."

Poirier scored a bonus-winning knockout of Benoit Saint-Denis in the UFC 299 co-main event, bouncing back from a loss to Justin Gaethje at UFC 291. Makhachev's targeted return in June appears to coincide with 'The Diamond,' who tweeted his inclination to return in the same month.