Ivan OrekhovSport correspondentAll materialsEverything is going according to Abdulmanap Nurmagomedov's plan: already this year, domestic MMAs can get a new UFC champion.Islam Makhachev is one of the most underestimated fighters of our time. Undoubtedly. Defeats opponents on the ground? Boring, fans will say. Breaks opponents ahead of schedule? Not that level of opposition. Well, finally friend and sparring partner of Khabib Nurmagomedov got the absolute top lightweight, the third rating number Benil Dariush. But no luck here either! An American of Iranian origin, on the eve of the main fight in his career, was seriously injured (Western media write about a broken ankle) and withdrew from the fight. Makhachev, on the other hand, remained on the UFC Fight Night 202 card: American Bobby Green appeared on the tournament poster, for a good cash and on condition not to drive weight, he agreed to enter the octagon on short notice for the second time in two weeks. View this post on Instagram
The new opponent is not in the top 15? Now all these gossips do not matter. After all, Makhachev is the most legitimate contender in the lightweight division. How easily the Russian moved the cocky and talkative Bobby simply could not help but impress. Again, the opponent is under Islam, again in an attempt to get up, he gives up the position. And, as in the previous three fights, the Russian leaves no chance for a panicked opponent: the full mount ended with a beating of Green, the judge could intervene even earlier. Makhachev spent a little more than three minutes on another victory. What we have as a result:
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Makhachev's monologue after the fight was expected. The fighter, without any special emotions, made it clear to the management of the promotion that in the future he would only sign the agreement for the fight for the title of absolute champion:
"Thank you very much everyone, I'm happy. I waited for Benil, trained hard for the duel with him — I believe that he will return soon. Kudos to Bobby for insuring the tournament. Then only a duel for the belt. I'm tired, I've had enough. I need a title fight. Dariush is one of the best in the world, I want to take the belt and then fight Benil".
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The sworn opponent of the Khabib team, Conor McGregor, can spoil the prospects of a domestic fighter. Despite three early defeats in the last four bouts, the Irishman remains a hype machine that brings the company millions of pay-per-view (PPV) sales. So very soon the head of the league, Dana White, will face a difficult (absurd) choice: who will give the title fight after the May fight of the current belt holder Charles Oliveira with the No. 1 contender Justin Gaethje? There is a formidable Russian who has been a nightmare for the entire lightweight division since the end of 2015. And there is Conor, far from his former peak, whose return will blow up the sports world and further inflate the treasury of the world's main MMA promotion. Champion Oliveira is inclined towards the second option: the chance to kill all the last opponents of Nurmagomedov and earn under a million dollars without any special risks may no longer be presented, and Islam with its championship ambitions will not go anywhere. The third defense is the Notorious, the fourth is so be it, Makhachev. We believe that the UFC will not dare to take such a step. Otherwise, the concept of «title chance», as well as the rating system of the league, will depreciate completely.