Undisputed lightweight champion, Islam Makhachev has been backed to compete twice at the very minimum this year ahead fo his return to the Octagon – as per his manager, Ali Abdelaziz, who revealed his client is awaiting a comeback to be floated from UFC brass.
Makhachev, the current undisputed lightweight champion and pound-for-pound number one, has been sidelined since he headlined UFC 294 back in October, landing a spectacular first round high-kick and strikes KO win over recent headliner, Alexander Volkanovski in the pair’s short-notice title rematch.
And sidelined through the religious period of Ramadan, lightweight kingpin, Makhachev has been linked with a slew of comeback fights against the likes of former interim titleholder, Justin Gaethje, as well as a clash with newly-minted gold holder, Ilia Topuria – who struck featherweight spoils at UFC 298 against the aforenoted, Volkanovski earlier this month in Anaheim.