Don’t expect to see Islam Makhachev in a Real American Freestyle singlet any time soon.
The UFC welterweight champion is currently gearing up for his first title defence since moving up to 170 pounds. He’s only recently stepped into the division, but the challenges are already piling up.
Makhachev looked dominant in his last fight against Jack Della Maddalena at UFC 322, where he picked up his second divisional title in mixed martial arts.
To solidify his position at the top, Makhachev needs to get past Ian Machado Garry this summer. But even then, there’s a long list of contenders waiting their turn, so there isn’t much room for distractions right now.
Recently, several fighters have started taking on wrestling and grappling matches between UFC bouts to stay active.
Islam Makhachev rules out appearances outside the UFC
Arman Tsarukyan has been especially busy, with nine appearances since his last Octagon fight against Dan Hooker eight months ago.
Tweets and Instagram posts from the Real American Freestyle organisation also show that Makhachev has been approached for a match, but he doesn’t appear interested.
During a recent video on Adam Zubayraev’s YouTube channel, Makhachev confirmed he has been asked to compete in matches outside of the UFC, though he did not confirm the exact organisations.
Makhachev was also offered a spot at Karate Combat. The promotion recently featured Jorge Masvidal versus Nate Diaz 2 in an open-weight contest that went viral on social media platforms.
The trend seems like it will only continue to grow as promotions try to get more active fighters involved. But Makhachev remains clear that his focus is firmly on defending his title this summer and staying committed to MMA rather than branching into other combat sports right now.
