Islam Makhachev explains why he turned down UFC 300 champ vs. champ bout against Leon Edwards
Islam Makhachev admits he was offered a champion vs. champion fight at UFC 300 against Leon Edwards, but had to turn it down.
UFC lightweight champ Makhachev (25-1 MMA, 14-1 UFC) could have been one-half of a massive matchup that many fans expected to see scheduled for UFC 300. A big champ vs. champ fight would have fit right in with UFC 300 for the promotion, which tried to go all-out for the milestone event.
Like Makhachev, Edwards (22-3 MMA, 14-2 UFC), the UFC welterweight champion, has yet to compete in 2024. However, Makhachev observes Ramadan, the Muslim holiday that involves fasting throughout the day, which he says would make training for such a big fight far too difficult.
“Honestly, yes, but it’s not possible, man,” Makhachev told MMA Junkie when asked if the UFC proposed a fight against Edwards. “Because we have Ramadan now. One month with fasting, and it’s not possible to do training in Ramadan. It’s very hard. You have to fast when the sun rises, and all day you have to fast. … Training this time is very hard.”
Ramadan, considered the holiest month in the Islamic calendar, occurs from March 10 to April 9. UFC 300 takes place on April 13, which is too soon for Makhachev to prepare properly for a title fight.
“I asked Ali (Abdelaziz) can they push the UFC 300 like two weeks, I will be ready, but he said it’s not possible,” Makachev joked.
If the window for opportunity to train under normal circumstances had been opened slightly, Makhachev would have pushed himself to make the fight happen. Unfortunately, the timing, which is one of the biggest components of matchmaking fights, did not work out for this matchup.
“Of course (it makes me sad), this is a dream fight for me,” Makhachev said. “I don’t have any small chance to fight at UFC 300, that’s why I’m very upset, man. It’s a big deal, big fight with Leon Edwards for the second belt, but this time I miss the chance.”
Despite Edwards vs. Makhachev’s coming together, the promotion managed to schedule three title fights for UFC 300. Alex Pereira defends his light heavyweight title against former champ Jamahal Hill, women’s strawweight champ Zhang Weili faces Yan Xiaonan, and Justin Gaethje takes on Max Holloway for the BMF title.
Since winning the lightweight title in October 2022 by defeating Charles Oliveira, Makhachev has defended the belt twice against now-former featherweight champion Alexander Volkanovski. A rematch against Oliveria was booked but canceled due to injury, leading to a rematch against Volkanovski, which Makhachev won by first-round stoppage in October 2023. The fight won MMA Junkie’s 2023 Fight of the Year award.
Makhachev aims to return to action in June for his first fight of 2024 and would like to share the octagon with former interim champion Dustin Poirier. Although the champ doesn’t necessarily believe Poirier deserves the shot, he likes the matchup since other contenders are booked, and throughout his career, has typically preferred fights against new opponents.
In the future, Makhachev would like to challenge for a second title as long as he and Edwards keep winning, which could potentially happen later in the year.
“One day, I hope they will call me again.”