White: Makhachev turned down RDA fight at UFC 272
UFC president Dana White said Islam Makhachev rejected a short-notice bout with Rafael dos Anjos at UFC 272 despite publicly challenging the former lightweight champion.
"I thought we had it done," White told Barstool's Robbie Fox. "When I went to bed one of the nights, I thought it was done. Woke up the next morning to find out (Makhachev) turned it down."
White added that he has "no clue" why the Russian star declined the fight.
Makhachev and dos Anjos seemingly agreed to battle at 170 pounds shortly after Rafael Fiziev withdrew from Saturday's co-main event due to COVID-19. Makhachev is coming off a first-round win over Bobby Green - who stepped in as a short-notice replacement for Beneil Dariush - on Feb. 26.
The two contenders have been booked to face each other three times in the past. The bout has fallen apart each time - twice because of injuries and once because of COVID-19. They pointed the finger at one another after the UFC announced Renato Moicano as the fill-in for Fiziev.
I called his bluff and he folded. Let’s move on...
— Rafael dos Anjos (@RdosAnjosMMA) March 1, 2022
Well, I tried and you failed., again 🤷🏼♂️ https://t.co/Q7RObE5BeA
— Makhachev Islam (@MAKHACHEVMMA) March 1, 2022
White said the UFC will now look to rebook Makhachev against Dariush, who broke his fibula in a training session. Makhachev, the third-ranked lightweight contender, angled for a title shot after putting away Green in a little more than three minutes.
"Since he turned down this fight, we're going to remake the Dariush fight," White said. "We'll get that fight going. Dying to see that fight. He gets through Dariush - very interesting."