Islam Makhachev's manager comments on possibility of Conor McGregor title fight: "He has to leave the drugs alone"

Ali Abdelaziz talks about the potential fight between Islam Makhachev (left) and Conor McGregor (right) [Images courtesy: @thenotoriousmma and @islam_makhachev on Instagram]

Islam Makhachev's manager Ali Abdelaziz recently voiced his opinion on a possible fight between Makhachev and Conor McGregor. According to Abdelaziz, McGregor must give up on certain indulgences for this potential fight to take place.

Most people agree that McGregor is the most well-known fighter to have ever graced the octagon. Nearly all fighters in the promotion hope to face the former UFC two-division champion at some point in their careers.

Given the prior unresolved issues between Makhachev's and McGregor's teams, there has been discussion and excitement among MMA fans regarding Makhachev and McGregor fighting in the future.

In a recent interview with Submission Radio, Abdelaziz was questioned about a potential fight between Makhachev and McGregor. In response, he stated that the fight is quite possible:

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"Let's say Conor knocks Chandler out in the first round. And because McGregor is a huge MMA star, whether you love him or not. And Conor tells the UFC, I want a title shot. And then he's going to be Islam's opponent. Makhachev won't say no to that kind of fight It’s a big fight, it’s a big name, it’s a lot more money.''

Abdelaziz added:

''Listen, it’s very possible but you know, Conor has to get off the bottle and he has to leave the drugs alone and focus.''

Check out Ali Abdelaziz's comments below (14:31):

In his last octagon outing at UFC 302, Makhachev submitted Dustin Poirier in the last round to retain his lightweight belt. Meanwhile, McGregor is set to return at UFC 303 against Michael Chandler in a welterweight bout.

So it will be interesting to see how a fight between the two plays out in the future.

Islam Makhachev downplays Conor McGregor

Conor McGregor is scheduled to return to action against Michael Chandler at UFC 303 on June 29. The Irishman's star power has led to speculation that he may fight for the title by defeating Chandler.

Following the Irishman's jabs at the Dagestani in the lead-up to the Dustin Poirier fight, Brett Okamoto of ESPN MMA asked Islam Makhachev if he would be interested in facing McGregor, similar to his teammate Khabib Nurmagomedov.

In response, the reigning lightweight champion said:

''It's good memories, you know. Gets me excited [to fight]. Beat Conor, beat his team again. It's gonna be fun, you know. But we're at different levels right now. Beat him, make good money and that's it. But I don't think he is on my level."

Check out Islam Makhachev's comments below (8:38):

About the author

Swagat is a dynamic MMA writer with a total experience of a little less than a year, which includes time in retail and sports journalism. He holds an MBA degree.

Swagat fell in love with the sport after watching the iconic grudge match between Jon Jones and Daniel Cormier at UFC 182 in early 2015. Nate Diaz holds a special place in his heart for the Stockton native’s entertaining fan-friendly style and ability to deliver exciting fights regardless of the opponent.

In terms of rule changes in MMA, Swagat advocates for making scores public after each round, adding transparency to judging decisions.

Swagat prioritizes accuracy and relevance while writing and conducts thorough research to ensure the content is fresh and reliable.

He enjoys playing football and painting during his free time.

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Edited by Anurag Mitra