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This weekend, Islam Makhachev faces the biggest challenge in his career so far. Against Charles Oliveira, he has a chance to become the champion of one of the most attractive categories in the UFC, and the bookies are still more favorable to him than to the former champion.
This Saturday, probably every MMA fan will be riveted to the screen all afternoon and watch the live spectacle from Abu Dhabi. In addition to the fight between Makhachev and Oliveira, a handful of other great fights await us, but the evening will still culminate with what everyone is most looking forward to.
Although on Saturday he is fighting for the most prestigious position that an MMA fighter can be in today, Islam Makhachev said that his mother is still against him practicing this sport. In a recent interview with UFC Russia, he said: “My father always supported me.
My mom always urged me to quit, even to this day,” Makhachev said. “After I won my first sambo tournament, she said, ‘What else is there. The sport is not in the Olympics. Wrap it up and do something else. This sport is so dangerous.'
”Makhachev began. “I still have those talks with her,” Makhachev stated. “Now, she’s like, ‘You have all the money you need. Find something else to do. I know you can succeed elsewhere.’ She doesn’t like this sport and she doesn’t watch the fights.
(My father) watches and worries quietly. He never tells me what I need to do. He knows I’m not lazy, that I’m training”.
Makhachev: “As Long As I’m Doing Well, I’ll Be Fighting”
“No thoughts about number of defenses or how long I’ll be champion for.
As long as I’m doing well, I’ll be fighting,” Makhachev said. “You’ll know when it’s time to go, you’ll find out during sparring. 60% of UFC fighters are staying there just for the money.
They trash talk but aren’t showing results because their time has passed. They fight for money and are losing. They win one out of four but they don’t care. As long as I’m doing well, I’ll be fighting”.
If he gets the belt at the weekend, it might change Islam's mother's mind. However, we hope to continue to enjoy his fights regardless of Saturday's outcome.