Dana White had a tough day after Arman Tsarukyan retired due to injury. He shares Islam Makhachev’s reaction to the announcement of his new opponent.
Arman Tsarukyan does not face Islam Makhachev main event from UFC 311. The Armenian had to withdraw from the card due to a back injury. Renato Moicano, Benoit Saint Denis’ opponent, who was scheduled to face Beneil Dariush on the same card, replaces Tsarukyan at short notice. UFC big boss Dana White shared Islam Makhachev’s surprising reaction when he offered him the Moicano option.
A champion mentality
Dana White recounted the scene at the UFC 311 weigh-in. The UFC president called Islam Makhachev who answered immediately “Brother, I am the champion. I fight anyone, I don’t care.”
Laura Sanko then asked Dana White if Moicano knew about the situation before Friday’s weigh-in, which he confirmed.
“He knew about it, and it’s obvious he couldn’t have weighed 156 [livres]he had to weigh 155, the championship weight. »
-“There were a lot of options. The best-case scenario is a guy who’s already on the card, who’s already in shape, who’s already making the weight, who’s had training camp, and when you really look at that – and yesterday’s press conference – who better than Moicano to step forward and seize this opportunity?. »
24 hours before the clash for the lightweight belt, and while he could have refused, Islam Makhachev therefore agrees to face a new fighter in the person of Renato Moicano. Beneil Dariush, the Brazilian’s initial opponent, did not wish to fight but the UFC will provide him with his salary as compensation.
What do you think of Makhachev’s reaction?