After two attempts to make the fight late last year, and a UFC Vegas 31 call out from Islam Makhachev following his win, Rafael dos Anjos will finally get his hands on the Russian in October. And it seems the Brazilian wanted the fifth-ranked lightweight all to himself for five rounds but had the request denied.
Five rounds of Rafael dos Anjos vs Islam Makhachev? It almost happened
Even though he kept busy by fighting Paul Felder in November, and has competed in several grappling bouts — one being against Donald Cerrone at Submission Underground 19 — dos Anjos (30-13) still has his mental scouting report on Makhachev (20-1) still ingrained in his mind after previously training for him. He believes he knows what his upcoming opponent is all about, and wanted to five rounds to expose the holes in his game. However, as he explained in a recent interview, that offer was rebuffed by team Makhachev.
“I’ve [tried] to fight him twice, the fight didn’t happen, but this time I wanted to fight five rounds. But he put his foot down that he wanted to fight three rounds, he didn’t accept five,” dos Anjos told Combate. “So that tells me a lot about what his strategy will be. He’ll come to stop the fight, make [it short], but we’ll get there with a firm game for that, to push the pace of the fight. He’s a tough guy, he’s Russian, and a Russian fighter is usually tough, has heavy hands, will have a boring wrestling game, probably with good ground control. But I have my weapons sharpened, I’ve trained for him and I know more or less what’s waiting for me.”
MMA News: Dos Anjos explains why Islam is no Khabib
The narrative on Makhachev over his tenure in the UFC has been about how he is lined up to be the heir apparent to former lightweight champion, and current coach, Khabib Nurmagomedov. Since the fifth-ranked 155-pounder has worked with Nurmagomedov throughout his career. Yet, dos Anjos wants to dispel that idea, because while the two are both lightweights from the same part of the world and have similar styles, he says there are major differences between the two men in the Octagon.
“I think they are totally different fighters. I think his camp is betting the chips that he will be the new champion. Islam is a talented guy, but I think Khabib is different. This I say listening to people who trained with the two of them, know both of them, and trained with me too,” said dos Anjos. “What I was told is that Islam is more technical than Khabib, has more technique, but doesn’t have much gas. He keeps saving himself, gets in the position he wants, and keeps holding on. Khabib, on the other hand, achieves more, has more desire, and more gas. Just looking at it, I can already see it. Khabib is a guy who gives more rhythm to the fight, pushes more, doesn’t tire so much. Islam is more technical but plays not to expose himself too much.”
Rafael dos Anjos vs Islam Makhachev will take place on October 30 at UFC 267, on Yas Island in Abu Dhabi. The bout will be a part of the pay-per-view main card portion of the card that will air exclusively on ESPN+.