Rafael Dos Anjos is the latest UFC fighter to test positive for the coronavirus. Due to the positive test, RDA is out of his fight against Islam Makhachev which is scheduled for UFC 254. However, Islam would like to remain on the card and is calling out the UFC’s newest blockbuster signing in Michael Chandler.
— Rafael dos Anjos (@RdosAnjosMMA) October 8, 2020
Islam Makhachev Calls Out Michael Chandler
Dos Anjos took to social media to announce his positive test. While fans were extremely upset at the news, Makhachev was only worried for a short amount of time. Once he received wind of the news, it didn’t take long to try and remain on the card.
RDA is out 😑 yo @MikeChandlerMMA here’s your chance to jump on the Island #UFC254
— Makhachev Islam (@MAKHACHEVMMA) October 9, 2020
“RDA is out,” wrote Islam. Yo (Michael Chandler) @MikeChandlerMMA here’s your chance to jump on the Island #UFC254″
Many fans of the sport are excited to finally see Chandler perform inside of the UFC octagon. However, in the eyes of “Iron” Mike, he’s ready to face the most elite competition that the organization has.
UFC 254 and Islam’s Resume
UFC President Dana White previously stated that Michael would be the backup for the UFC 254 lightweight title clash between Khabib Nurmagomedov and Justin Gaethje. So, if somebody gets injured or misses weight, Chandler’s first UFC fight will be for a title.
Islam is no slouch with only one loss in his professional MMA career, which consists of 19 fights. Currently, Islam is on a six-fight winning streak in the UFC’s lightweight division. Unfortunately, those accolades could potentially not be enough for Chandler, who only wants to face top-five opponents.
Chandler Wants Top 5 Fights
At 34 years of age, however, Chandler doesn’t have a lot of time left in the sport. So, maybe a fight against Makhachev could be the proof needed to win over fans who doubt Chandler’s abilities. After all, if Dana believes in Chandler enough to make him an alternate for a title fight, there could be no limit on how much the promotion is willing to push the brand of Michael Chandler.
