UFC lightweight champion Islam Makhachev I wasn’t thrilled about organizing a rematch with the former belt holder Charles Oliveira, because he wants to add victories over other fighters to his record.
At the same time, the Dagestani notes that the Brazilian honestly earned a second chance.
“To be honest, of course, I want new names, new opponents, because I already have Oliveira on my list. Look, fighting with the same person twice is somehow not right. If there was some new name it would be more interesting.
But what to do, he passed Dariush very confidently. If you look at the rest of the list... he's already beaten the rest. I think he deserves a rematch,” Makhachev said in an interview with the UFC.
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The rematch between Makhachev and Oliveira will take place on October 21 at the UFC 294 tournament in Abu Dhabi, UAE. In the first fight, which took place a year earlier in the same place, Islam won by choke in the second round.