Islam Makhachev is denying Dana White’s claim that he turned down a short-notice matchup with Rafael dos Anjos at UFC 272 this past weekend.
Dos Anjos needed an opponent on less than one week’s notice after Rafael Fiziev tested positive for COVID-19. For a short period, it looked as though dos Anjos and Makhachev would square off in the UFC 272 co-main event at 170 pounds. Ultimately, it was Renato Carneiro who agreed to step in, and the UFC president said Makhachev was unwilling to take the fight.