UFC rising star Islam Makhachev will battle it out with last-minute replacement Bobby Green In a catchweight division matchup in Las Vegas on Saturday.
Gidget AlikpalaG_AlikpalaUpdate: Feb 26th, 2022 06:24 EST
Chris Unger
UFC rising star Islam Makhachev (21-1) aims to continue his winning streak as he goes up against Bobby Green in a catchweight division fight in Las Vegas on Saturday.
Green (29-12-1) stepped up as a last-minute replacement for Makhachev’s original opponent Beneil Dariush, who had to pull out of the bout because of an ankle injury.
Makhachev: Itching for a shot at being champion
Makhachev is on a dogged campaign for the UFC lightweight championship, riding high on a nine-fight winning streak. The 30-year-old won four of those matches by submission and one via knockout.
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Currently ranked fifth among UFC lightweights, the Russian is angling to be the next fighter to challenge lightweight champion Charles Oliveira. A convincing win over the unranked Green will put Makhachev in better standing to earn the championship match.
Although Green is considered the underdog, it could prove to be an interesting matchup due to their widely disparate fighting styles. The 2016 Sambo World Championship gold medalist is a superb grappler, while the American is known for his crowd-pleasing boxing technique. Green is also fresh off his second win in a row.
A victory by the 35-year-old could go down as one of the biggest upsets in UFC history.
Bobby Green held nothing back when breaking down "f*cking boring" Islam Makhachev's style. "Nobody wants to see it. Nobody cares. I fall asleep watching his fights."#UFCVegas49 | Full video: https://t.co/VZsij52vcj pic.twitter.com/9ef0OWbDMt
— MMA Junkie (@MMAJunkie) February 23, 2022
UFC Vegas 49 Fight Night
Islam Makhachev vs. Bobby Green
Date: Feb. 26, Saturday
Main card: 7 p.m. ET / 4 p.m. PT
Main event: 10 p.m. ET / 7 p.m. (approximately)
Venue: UFC Apex, Las Vegas, Nevada
TV: ESPN+
Streaming: ESPN App, ESPN+ streaming service
