UFC great Khabib Nurmagomedov has told Charles Oliveira to get his excuses ready ahead of his lightweight title fight with Islam Makhachev.
Oliveira looks to reclaim his lightweight belt against fellow top contender Makhachev on October 22 at UFC 280. 'Do Bronx' was stripped of the belt after missing weight for his title defence against Justin Gaethje in May, with the belt coming vacant when Oliveira submitted Gaethje in the first round.
Nurmagomedov's protege Makhachev enters the first title fight of his UFC career on a 10-fight winning streak that dates back six years. The Russian's last four wins have all come by finish, most recently stopping Bobby Green in February. Nurmagomedov says he has "goosebumps" thinking about the fight whilst adding that Makhachev will be aiming to finish Oliviera early on.
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"Just goosebumps from waiting," Nurmagomedov wrote on Instagram. "Islam Makhachev is coming out for this fight against the best fighter at the moment in UFC. Oliveira is the best fighter of 2022. He is one of the best, regardless of the weight category, also goes on a 12-win streak in the UFC. This fight will answer all questions. Someone reads history, and someone writes it. Prepare your excuses, we're aiming to beat Oliveira early."
Makhachev's fight is very personal for Nurmagomedov, as his late father Abdulmanap hoped for his son to retire from the UFC as the undefeated lightweight champion with Makhachev eventually taking his place. Makhachev, who now has the chance to fulfill Abdulmanap's wishes, will be flying over from his training camp in California to Dubai over five weeks before the fight to help his body acclimatise to the desert climate.
"We're going to move to Dubai. We're going to be there for like, 40 days. We're going to be there 40 days before the fight, no jet lag. It's very important because it's desert. It's a completely different place. I have fought there a couple of times, I know how to feel. Islam is always there with me, we know how to feel," Nurmagomedov told The Mike Swick Show.
"You have to be there before the fight. We are just fighters you know? Islam is signed with the UFC it doesn't matter if they told us to go to Brazil. We have 90 days before the fight and this for me as a fan of MMA is going to be the most exciting fight of this year right now."
