UFC lightweight Islam Makhachev has explained why he didn’t end up fighting Rafael dos Anjos at UFC 272.

It’s been a rollercoaster ride of a few weeks for Islam Makhachev ever since he beat Bobby Green on short notice at UFC Vegas 49. The Russian star was initially supposed to take on Beneil Dariush, only for an injury to rule his opponent out of the contest.

Then, after tearing through Green, Makhachev attempted to take on Rafael dos Anjos on short notice after RDA’s bout with Rafael Fiziev fell through. At one point it seemed as if it was close to getting booked, only for Renato Moicano to get the call instead.

Dana White suggested that Makhachev turned the fight down and during a recent interview with ESPN, Islam told his side of the story.

“Dana said I turned down this fight but Monday morning, when I wake up, I saw some news that Fiziev had COVID and the fight is cancelled. I’d been in California on vacation, I wake up and I call my manager, Ali, I saw some news, please call UFC and say I am ready to take this fight. Then I ask about some conditions, very small conditions, nothing big or not possible to do. Not the UFC call me, not Ali call me, I wake up and I call Ali, and I tell him contact with UFC. But UFC cannot do it. The fight didn’t happen, and that’s it. Now everybody thinks UFC called me and tried to make this fight, but I called UFC and asked about this fight.”

“I have no problem fighting with him [Dariush], but who has to fight for the title next? Poirier lose many time, Chandler lose, Hooker, Tony Ferguson, everybody.”

Do you think Islam Makhachev is telling the truth? Let us know your thoughts down in the comments, BJPENN Nation!