Islam Makhachev reveals potential date for his UFC return post surgery

UFC lightweight champion Islam Makhachev was scheduled to face Arman Tsarukyan in October 2024. However, he recently announced that he has been injured and will have to undergo surgery on his hand to get back to normal. Such updates have put some serious question marks on whether the title fight with Tsarukyan will come to fruition. But with Makhachev’s latest announcement, it looks like the lightweight title fight is on the cards at the moment. According to a report, the lightweight champion could make his UFC return in late 2024. 

“I have a small injury now, but I’m already finishing my treatment. I’ll be ready around the end of the year, January, beginning of the year,” said Makhachev. Such a statement would certainly resolve the complications at the top of the lightweight division. 

Tsarukyan rejected the offer to fight for lightweight title 

Following the news of Makhachev’s injury, Tsarukyan proposed many plans for his future. He said that fighting Islam Makhachev is not important for him as long as he gets his desired chance at the title. The Armenian fighter also mentioned some names who could fight him for a potential interim title. “Ahalkalakets” named the top five ranked lightweight fighters: Dan Hooker, Michael Chandler, Charles Oliveira, Justin Gaethje and Dustin Piorier. 

Interestingly, Tsarukyan previously received an offer from the promotion to fight Makhachev for the title. However, after his matchup against Charles Oliveira at UFC 300, Tsarukyan rejected the offer. He and his team want to take more time for the title bout and have a full-fight camp. 

The upcoming lightweight title bout will be a banger 

If we talk about Arman Tsarukyan’s UFC career, he has only lost two fights so far. Currently he is on a four-fight winning streak and his most recent wins came against Beneil Dariush and Charles Oliveira. During his UFC 300 bout against “Do Bronxs,” Tsarukyan almost lost via chokehold in the early stages of his fight. However, “Ahalkalakets” showed great resilience and eventually turned the tables, emerging victorious. 

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On the other hand, Islam Makhachev has been ruling the lightweight division so far. He has suffered just one defeat in the UFC and is on a 14-fight winning streak. He has notable wins over fighters like Alexander Volkanovski, Dan Hooker, and Dustin Poirier, and the upcoming lightweight title bout is likely to be explosive.