A high-profile lightweight matchup between Islam
Makhachev and Rafael dos
Anjos has been added to the
UFC 267 lineup.
According to
ESPN, both fighters have agreed to the bout. UFC 267 takes
place on Oct. 30 and is headlined by a light heavyweight
championship showdown between Jan
Blachowicz and Glover
Teixeira. The event does not yet have an official location but
is expected to take place in Abu Dhabi. Makhachev vs. dos Anjos was
previously scheduled twice in 2020, but was scrapped on both
occasions, once because dos Anjos tested positive for COVID-19 and
later when Makhachev withdrew due to illness.
Makhachev is currently in the midst of an eight-bout winning streak
and is one of the hottest talents in the UFC lightweight division.
The Khabib
Nurmagomedov training partner is coming off his first main
event appearace, where he submitted Thiago
Moises in the fourth round of their UFC on ESPN 26 showdown on
July 17.
A former lightweight champion, the 36-year-old dos Anjos recently
returned to 155 pounds after a 4-4 stint as a welterweight. In his
return to the division he once ruled, dos Anjos earned a
split-decision triumph over Paul Felder
in the UFC Fight Night 182 headliner on Nov. 14.