Rafael Dos Anjos believes that Islam Makhachev cannot be double champion

LockerRoom Team

10 Jul 2024

Rafael dos Anjos is skeptical about Islam Makhachev’s prospects of becoming a UFC double champion.

Makhachev, who has defended his lightweight title three times, has expressed interest in moving up to welterweight to challenge Leon Edwards.

Dos Anjos, a veteran who has competed in both lightweight and welterweight divisions, believes Makhachev would struggle with the size difference in the higher weight class.

“He’s in a very good momentum right now, but I don’t think he can beat Leon Edwards and become a double champion,” dos Anjos told Submission Radio. “I just think, like, the size difference. Leon is a much bigger guy, and we see smaller guys like (Dustin) Poirier giving Islam a lot of trouble."

“Poirier, he’s very tough, but he usually fights at 145, and he gave Islam a hard fight. Islam choked him in the fifth, I think. Poirier, you can see he’s a great fighter. I got a lot of respect for him. But if you see all his title defenses, like he got submitted, and I think he’s very weak on that point or like, his submission defense is not on point. Like, he always falls short on that aspect.”

The former lightweight champion dos Anjos plans to return to the welterweight division after bouncing between weight classes in his past six fights. He has his eyes set on two potential opponents for his next bout.

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“I see Stephen Thompson, he doesn’t have a fight coming up,” dos Anjos said. “Kevin Holland doesn’t have a fight coming up. And those are good names, you know, like that make sense for me.”