Islam Makhachev and Alexander Volkanovski have gone back and forth on social media regarding taking on one another at UFC 294 in Abu Dhabi.
Makhachev, the current lightweight champion, called out welterweight belt-holder Leon Edwards on Tuesday, offering the British-based athlete an unexpected challenge for the Etihad Arena card on October 21. As of yet, no bouts have been confirmed for the UFC’s return to the capital.
However, Volkanovski was quick to chime in. The featherweight champion, who this week underwent an apparently minor surgery on his arm, has made no secret of his desire to rematch Makhachev after losing a close decision to the Dagestan native in February.
Coming off his superb title defence against Yair Rodriguez earlier this month, Volkanovski reiterated his desire to become a two-weight champion.
On Wednesday, the Australian responded to Makhachev’s callout of Edwards, posting on social media: “You running brotha, you don’t want this smoke."
To which Makhachev promptly replied: “Take the fight then."
Makhachev, unbeaten in his past 12 UFC bouts, is expected to headline UFC 294 given his close connection with the UAE. A regular visitor to the Emirates, he captured the lightweight title in Abu Dhabi last October, when he defeated Charles Oliveira by second-round submission.
Oliveira, meanwhile, has also been tipped as a possible opponent following his emphatic comeback victory against Beneil Dariush at UFC 289 last month. Yet the Brazilian has since said he would not be ready to rematch Makhachev until November or December.
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How to play the stock market recovery in 2021?
If you are looking to build your long-term wealth in 2021 and beyond, the stock market is still the best place to do it as equities powered on despite the pandemic.
Investing in individual stocks is not for everyone and most private investors should stick to mutual funds and ETFs, but there are some thrilling opportunities for those who understand the risks.
Peter Garnry, head of equity strategy at Saxo Bank, says the 20 best-performing US and European stocks have delivered an average return year-to-date of 148 per cent, measured in local currency terms.
Online marketplace Etsy was the best performer with a return of 330.6 per cent, followed by communications software company Sinch (315.4 per cent), online supermarket HelloFresh (232.8 per cent) and fuel cells specialist NEL (191.7 per cent).
Mr Garnry says digital companies benefited from the lockdown, while green energy firms flew as efforts to combat climate change were ramped up, helped in part by the European Union’s green deal.
Electric car company Tesla would be on the list if it had been part of the S&P 500 Index, but it only joined on December 21. “Tesla has become one of the most valuable companies in the world this year as demand for electric vehicles has grown dramatically,” Mr Garnry says.
By contrast, the 20 worst-performing European stocks fell 54 per cent on average, with European banks hit by the economic fallout from the pandemic, while cruise liners and airline stocks suffered due to travel restrictions.
As demand for energy fell, the oil and gas industry had a tough year, too.
Mr Garnry says the biggest story this year was the “absolute crunch” in so-called value stocks, companies that trade at low valuations compared to their earnings and growth potential.
He says they are “heavily tilted towards financials, miners, energy, utilities and industrials, which have all been hit hard by the Covid-19 pandemic”. “The last year saw these cheap stocks become cheaper and expensive stocks have become more expensive.”
This has triggered excited talk about the “great value rotation” but Mr Garnry remains sceptical. “We need to see a breakout of interest rates combined with higher inflation before we join the crowd.”
Always remember that past performance is not a guarantee of future returns. Last year’s winners often turn out to be this year’s losers, and vice-versa.
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