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‘Radio Silence’- Islam Makhachev Trolls Rafael dos Anjos for Running After the Conor McGregor Fight

Published 07/19/2021, 7:47 AM EDT

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Islam Makhachev took to social media following his most recent victory and doubled down on his post-fight callouts. Makhachev headlined his first main event at UFC Vegas 31 and ran right through his opponent in Thiago Moises. Islam Makhachev earned a fourth-round RNC submission win and is now riding an 8-fight win streak.

Speaking to Paul Felder in the cage after his fight, Islam Makhachev expressed a desire to fight Rafael dos Anjos. Chiefly, he also fired shots at Michael Chandler and Tony Ferguson at different points during fight week. Makhachev trolled the aforementioned fighters in a recent tweet after the fight and it’s clear he wants nothing less than a marquee contender in his next fight.

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Islam Makhachev’s call-out seems particularly tailor-made to target RDA as he recently took aim at Conor McGregor after his loss. Rafael dos Anjos weighed in as an alternate for Poirier vs McGregor 3 and had some warring words for McGregor. It seems as though Makhachev doesn’t appreciate Dos Anjos’ glued focus on Conor McGregor.

However, every fighter in the 155-pounds division is eyeing a fight with McGregor and it’s hard to blame them. ‘Notorious’ is the ultimate ‘big money fight’ in the sport and everyone is looking for a piece of the pie. Not to mention, some believe that the Irishman is on a decline and that now is the best opportunity to face him.

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Islam Makhachev vs Rafael dos Anjos: the fight to make next?

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The Russian mauler was slated to fight Dos Anjos in late 2020, however, he was forced to pull out at the last minute. ‘RDA’ went on to face Paul Felder on short notice and won the fight via split decision.

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What’s more, the fight makes sense from a narrative standpoint as Dos Anjos also fought Khabib Nurmagomedov just as he was about to break out. Given the comparisons between Khabib Nurmagomedov and Makhachev, a scrap between them makes perfect sense.

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RDA is a proven former champion who takes it upon himself to face all comers regardless of their position in the division. He is on a path back to lightweight gold himself and will want to test himself against the ever-fiery Makhachev.

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Written by:

Darryl Pinto

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Darryl Pinto is a senior MMA writer at EssentiallySports. He is currently pursuing his graduate degree in Mass Media (with a specialization in Journalism) out of Xavier’s College and has a year's experience in his current role. Darryl specializes in predictions, reporting, and covering UFC events live.
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