Islam Makhachev has trolled Rafael dos Anjos for attempting to call out Conor McGregor on Twitter. 'RDA' has previously pulled out of fights with both McGregor and Makhachev.
At UFC 264, dos Anjos weighed in as a backup for Conor McGregor vs. Dustin Poirier 3. He crossed paths with the Irishman during fight week and their exchange was caught on camera. McGregor can be heard shouting:
"You bottled it mate. You bottled it with a sore f***ing toe. Don't ever forget it, you little rat."
The UFC embedded team were quick to close in on the Brazilian and catch the following response:
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"Whenever, wherever. We can fight here. I don't f***ing care. Trying to sneak behind me and, you know, size me up."
Rafael dos Anjos recently reposted footage of the incident, pairing it with the following caption:
"Lets meet without security to break up the fight. See you in 2022."
However, Islam Makhachev, who has become a fierce rival of dos Anjos in the past year, was quick to point out that there was no security around.
"There was no security around you man."
Are we likely to see Islam Makhachev vs. Rafael dos Anjos rebooked in the near future?
Islam Makhachev and Rafael dos Anjos have had a fight with each other fall apart on three separate occasions. The booking fell through once due to an injury on Makhachev's side and twice due to an injury and a COVID-19 diagnosis on dos Anjos' side.
It appears that for the time being, the ship for Makhachev vs. dos Anjos has sailed. The Dagestani's recent win over Dan Hooker cemented his place as a top contender in the 155-pound division, whilst 'RDA' still has only one lightweight win on his record since moving back down from welterweight.
As reported by ESPN MMA's Brett Okamoto, Makhachev is now set to face off against fellow top five Beneil Dariush in February. Their fight will almost certainly be a number one contender bout, with the winner likely to compete for gold in the back half of 2022.
Rafael dos Anjos, meanwhile, may have more luck pursuing the McGregor route. However, the Irishman could be out of action for the first half of 2022 due to the injury he sustained in his most recent appearance.