Team Khabib drags Jon Jones as Islam Makhachev steps up to save Dana White’s event
Islam Makhachev's team mocks UFC GOAT Jon Jones as the lightweight champion fights a new opponent on short notice.
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Islam Makhachev does what Jon Jones couldn't and saves UFC card (via Imago/X)
Islam Makhachev faced an unexpected twist ahead of UFC 311 when his scheduled opponent, Arman Tsarukyan, withdrew from the fight. In response, Renato Moicano stepped in as a last-minute replacement for the lightweight title fight. Despite the sudden change, the champion accepted the fight without hesitation. This situation has also allowed Team Khabib to take a jab at Jon Jones.
Jon Jones and Team Khabib have been in dispute over the pound-for-pound number-one position for years now. Previously, Jones didn’t agree on Khabib Nurmagomedov being the P4P number one, and he has maintained the same sentiment with Makhachev. However, in a recent post, Makhachev’s manager made a sly remark on Jones’ inability to fight on short notice.
Just a reminder here, why @MAKHACHEVMMA is the P4P best today. Jon Jones pulled out in absolutely identical situation back in the days in his prime. Just facts.
Rizvan Magomed via X
Jones faced a similar situation when his opponent Dan Henderson got injured before UFC 151 and Chael Sonnen stepped in as a replacement. However, ‘Bones’ didn’t take the fight and as a result, Dana White had to scrap the entire fight card. White later blamed Jones’s coaches for telling him not to take a fight on short notice.
Just a reminder here, why @MAKHACHEVMMA is the P4P best today.
— Rizvan Magomedov (@Rizvan_RM) January 17, 2025
Jon Jones pulled out in absolutely identical situation back in the days in his prime. Just facts 🤷🏼♂️ pic.twitter.com/XNVepopyhL
When Makhachev fought Alexander Volkanovski on short notice, he also made fun of Jones for this particular reason. Nevertheless, Sonnen also reacted to drama between Team Khabib and Jon Jones and made a sneaky remark. The heavyweight champion, on the other hand, has yet to respond to these accusations.
Team Khabib mentality on display as Islam Makhachev defends his belt on short notice at UFC 311
Coming into the fight week, fans were excited to see one of the most anticipated bouts of 2025 between Islam Makhachev and Arman Tsarukyan. However, now Renato Moicano is the new challenger, but it hasn’t necessarily damaged the hype around the fight. The Brazilian is on a four-fight win streak and is a fan favorite.
Makhachev’s mentor, Khabib Nurmagomedov, also talked about the situation and wished Tsarukyan good luck for recovery. However, the whole team was ready and wasn’t hesitant to fight a new opponent. Coach Javier Mendez also shared a similar sentiment and talked about it in a new interview.
The thoughts were, we make the weight and if he’s there then we fight him. If not we fight whoever is there. That’s the mentality we have. You make weight, you are the champion, you fight, it doesn’t matter.
Javier Mendez via FULL SEND MMA
While many fans are considering Moicano as an easy opponent for the lightweight king, others believe that there is an opportunity. The contender himself doesn’t care about the pound-for-pound ace and is ready to put on a show. It would be interesting to see whether this fight manages to deliver to the high expectations.
Related: Surging lightweight contender reveals he can beat everyone except Dustin Poirier
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Ameetosh Dash
(888 Articles Published)