Ali Abdelaziz has sounded off on Alexander Volkanovski and his team for their accusations of Islam Makhachev.
After Makhachev defended his lightweight title for the first time at UFC 284 against Volkanovski, Dan Hooker accused Makhachev of using an IV after weigh-ins. Of course, using IVs to rehydrate is illegal, but there has been no proof, which is why Abdelaziz is angry.
‘Islam did not get IVs in Australia’
As well, Abdelaziz claims the UFC told him that Volkanovski actually weighed more than Makhachev, so he thinks that should shut down any rumors of the champ using an IV.
“Alexander Volkanovski and Islam Makhachev put on one of the best fights of the year, I respect Alexander, he’s a great guy and I know one of his co-managers too, Ash, a really good guy too,” Abdelaziz said to The Schmo. “But, everybody on his team made Alexander look bad by talking and making accusations. Prove it. In a way, you shouldn’t talk like that because if you don’t have proof if you don’t have anything, Dan Hooker, I really like this guy, but now I don’t know how to feel about him, show the proof. Maybe he’s salty, Islam fought him, he almost took his arm home, or maybe he loves Alexander so much.
“But, if you love Alexander so much you honor him and say that is the best fight ever, he’s great, he went up a division. Don’t try and point fingers,” Abdelaziz continued. “In reality, I got this from the UFC, fight night, Alexander Volkanovski weighed two pounds heavier than Islam Makhachev. You talking about IVs? He weighed two pounds heavier than Islam. Islam did not get IVs in Australia, maybe someone else did but Islam did not.”
Since the accusations, the UFC has said there has been no proof of Islam Makhachev using IVs to rehydrate before his UFC 284 fight against Alexander Volkanovski.
Yet, given how close the fight was, perhaps the two will rematch down the line – but Abdelaziz isn’t interested in it due to what was said. Instead, he thinks Makhahcev will face the winner of Oliveira-Dariush and then move up to welterweight.
“This fight, Islam has nothing to gain. He’s a small guy, we only fought this guy because he’s number one ranked. Honestly, I wanted the rematch, but all these guys talking s**t, that kind of ruined it for him, to be honest with you. I don’t know,” Abdelaziz concluded.
