No, it was not the signature win over a fellow contender like he and his team had hoped. But Islam Makhachev made a statement that was necessary to peg himself as the next UFC lightweight title contender.
Makhachev dominated Bobby Green, finishing with a ground-and-pound TKO at 3 minutes, 23 seconds of the first round in the main event of UFC Fight Night on Saturday in Las Vegas. Makhachev got Green against the cage, shot for a double-leg takedown and then went to work. He quickly had Green’s back and landed big shots from there until referee Herb Dean stepped in to stop it.
“I just want a title fight,” Makhachev said in his postfight interview. “No more. I’m tired of all these things. I need title fight. I’m ready. I’m here.”
Green, whose previous fight was just two weeks ago, came in on 10 days’ notice after Makhachev’s original opponent, Beneil Dariush, broke his leg in training and…
