Rafael dos Anjos was satisfied when UFC President Dana White revealed Islam Makhachev was the one that said no to stepping up to face him at UFC 272.
After it was revealed Rafael Fiziev was forced out of the fight due to COVID-19, Makhachev said he would take the fight. dos Anjos quickly called his bluff and after that, it was announced Renato Moicano took the fight and will now fight the Brazilian.
With Moicano stepping up, many people were surprised it wasn’t Makhachev. And on Wednesday, White confirmed that it was the Dagestani fighter who turned the fight down.
“I thought we had it done,” White said in an interview with Barstool Sports. “When I went to bed one of the nights there, I thought it was done. Woke up the next morning and found out (Makhachev) turned it down.
“It’s, ‘What’s the best fight that you can possibly make?’ The best fight that we could possibly make would’ve been him and Islam. RDA vs. Islam. Islam turns down the fight, ‘What’s the best fight you could make?’ Moicano… I love the Dariush fight. Since he turned down this fight we’re going to remake the Dariush fight. Dying to see that fight. And then (if) he gets through Dariush, it’s very interesting.”
After hearing White says Makhachev did turn the fight down, dos Anjos went to Twitter to react to the news.
“The truth always comes out!,” dos Anjos wrote on Twitter in response to White confirming Makhachev turned the fight down.
Rafael dos Anjos vs. Islam Makhachev is a fight many fans want to see, and it has been booked three times but has fallen through. Perhaps if RDA wins, this fight will happen in the future, as the two have unfinished business.
dos Anjos has not fought since he beat Paul Felder by decision in November of 2020 in his return to lightweight.
What do you make of Rafael dos Anjos’ reaction to Islam Makhachev turning down the fight?
