Conor McGregor: UFC News: Islam Makhachev has established himself as a dominant force in the UFC lightweight division, having recently defeated Charles Oliveira to claim the title. However, with Makhachev yet to compete since his championship win, questions abound regarding who he will face in his upcoming title defense scheduled for October.
Complicating matters further, potential opponents such as Charles Oliveira and Alex Volkanovski are unavailable due to injury and surgery respectively, while Dustin Poirier and Justin Gaethje are already scheduled for a fight at UFC 291. Meanwhile, easing the complexities fans have suggested several names as potential challengers, with Conor McGregor being among the most talked about options.
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UFC Fans Eagerly Await Next Opponent for Champion Islam Makhachev, with Conor McGregor Among the Top Contenders
Islam Makhachev, the reigning UFC lightweight champion, is currently without a confirmed opponent for the upcoming UFC 294 event in Abu Dhabi, which is expected to feature him as the headliner. Additionally, last night UFC featherweight champion Alexander Volkanovski revealed that he needs to undergo surgery following his title defense against Yair Rodriguez at UFC 290.
Meanwhile, Makhachev’s top potential challenger, Charles Oliveira, recently competed and is unlikely to be available for another fight until October. Given the current circumstances, fans have been speculating and proposing potential opponents for Islam Makhachev’s upcoming fight, with Conor McGregor and Michael Chandler among the most prominent suggestions.
Fans hoping for a potential matchup between Islam Makhachev and Conor McGregor will be disappointed to learn that the Irishman is ineligible due to USADA testing guidelines until 2024. This leaves Michael Chandler as a potential opponent, but reports suggest that he is already slated to fight McGregor in 2024, making it unlikely he’ll consider taking on Makhachev.
In the meantime due to the financial and promotional incentives of fighting McGregor, Chandler is also out of this list. As a result, the situation surrounding Makhachev’s upcoming opponent remains complex, and fans can only hope for the speedy recovery of Charles Oliveira in the meantime so that they once again see Oliveira vs Makhachev.
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