Anthony Joshua Negotiates With Islam Makhachev Over ‘2-3 Years in Dagestan’ Offer

UFC welterweight champion Islam Makhachev meets with former heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua in Dubai. 

Anthony Joshua Negotiates With Islam Makhachev Over ‘2-3 Years in Dagestan’ Offer

Islam Makhachev and Anthony Joshua (via X)

Islam Makhachev and Khabib Nurmagomedov recently attended PFL Dubai to support their teammate Usman Nurmagomedov during his title fight. While attending the event, the pair unexpectedly crossed paths with former heavyweight boxing champion Anthony Joshua, and cameras captured the moment.

The interaction showed genuine mutual respect, as both sides smiled, shook hands, embraced warmly, and represented unity across combat disciplines. During their conversation, Islam Makhachev invited Anthony Joshua to visit his homeland, Dagestan, sometime soon.

AJ quickly responded jokingly, saying he would probably go there for a few weeks, not a few years. The comment referenced Makhachev’s iconic phrase, “Send 2-3 years Dagestan and forget,” which has become widely recognized.

The line was originally used by the welterweight champion when speaking to veteran fighter Daniel Cormier. Makhachev suggested that Cormier send his children to Dagestan for long-term development, emphasizing toughness and a strong foundation in elite wrestling. Since then, the phrase has evolved into a popular meme, becoming a running joke throughout the global combat sports community.

Team Khabib is among the most recognizable names in global combat sports, frequently crossing paths with celebrities from boxing, MMA, and beyond. They are known for inviting other famous athletes to Dagestan for training, including figures like Demetrious Johnson, strengthening their legendary reputation.

Anthony Joshua, meanwhile, recently fought Jake Paul in a Netflix exhibition bout, winning by a brutal knockout. That bout allegedly earned Joshua close to $90 million, marking one of the most talked-about crossover moments in boxing entertainment.

Unfortunately, he was later involved in a fatal crash in Nigeria, losing two close friends and stepping away while recovering privately. Fans were relieved seeing Joshua smiling again publicly, enjoying himself, and slowly returning to a confident version of himself.

Islam Makhachev’s manager reveals next potential opponent 

Islam Makhachev is undoubtedly one of the biggest names in the current UFC roster and rules the pound-for-pound rankings. Last year, the fighter beat Jack Della Maddalena to become the welterweight champion and a double champion. The fighter has also matched Anderson Silva‘s 16-fight winning streak in the UFC and wants to beat that soon. 

Islam Makhachev's next fight
Islam Makhachev’s next fight (via X)

Makhachev has already mentioned that he will be ready to fight at the White House event in June, but there are other reports. Team Khabib had previously mentioned that the fighter would return for the Prudential Center card soon. Recently, Makhachev’s manager, Rizvan Magomedov, further shared details, including a potential name for the next fight. 

They’re discussing the next fight, and Kamaru Usman is on the list of possible opponents. If you ask us, we’d also like that fight, because it’s one of the biggest fights that can be made in the division right now. As always, the final word is with the organization. Islam is ready to defend… From a media perspective, the fight with Kamaru Usman would be the most interesting and watchable for the public.

Rizvan Magomedov via Sport24

Kamaru Usman is a proven veteran, holding the most welterweight title defenses in UFC history through discipline and consistency. Despite being 38, the former champion believes he still has enough hunger to chase gold one final time. Usman maintains close ties with Team Khabib, yet feels this title run represents the division’s most anticipated storyline right now.

However, several top contenders argue Usman’s age makes this opportunity questionable, calling for fresher matchups at welterweight moving forward. Young rising names like Michael Morales and Ian Garry have expressed interest, with fans believing they deserve priority shots next. It remains intriguing to see who the UFC deems worthy of this opportunity.

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