Islam Makhachev is set to defend his UFC lightweight title in January, likely against Arman Tsarukyan, as confirmed by his coach Khabib Nurmagomedov.
Islam Makhachev appears ready to return in the New Year. That’s the word from Makhachev’s longtime teammate, friend, and coach Khabib Nurmagomedov.
Khabib revealed plans for the UFC lightweight champion to next defend his title in January. The opponent remains unnamed.
“UFC offered us a fight already, in January. We accepted it,” Nurmagomedov shared during an appearance in Indonesia this past weekend (video provided by Ushatayka).
He didn’t mention any names, but it’s almost certainly going to be a rematch against No. 1 contender Arman Tsarukyan.
Tsarukyan cemented himself as the next title challenger after defeating former champion Charles Oliveira at UFC 300. This victory extended his winning streak to four in a row.
In his octagon debut back in 2019, Tsarukyan actually faced Makhachev. It was a grueling three-round war that ended with Tsarukyan taking a unanimous decision loss but earning a Fight of the Night bonus.
Now, Tsarukyan seeks revenge while attempting to become UFC champion for the first time in his career. A tall order, indeed.
As far as that potential challenge or anybody else coming for Makhachev’s title, Nurmagomedov acknowledged something important. His 32-year-old prodigy is always going to bring the best out of any opponent because of what he represents.
“Islam is now not only champion but he is pound-for-pound the best fighter in the world today,” Nurmagomedov said. Quite the accolade!
Makhachev hasn’t tasted defeat since his second fight in the UFC — a stunning upset loss to Adriano Martins. Since then, he’s rattled off a remarkable 14 wins in a row.
These victories include triumphs over three former UFC champions and four fighters currently ranked among the top 15 in the UFC’s lightweight division. Impressive, right?