Last-minute change in opponent or not, Islam Makhachev has his path all planned out: defeat Bobby Green in Las Vegas this weekend and then capture the UFC lightweight crown in Abu Dhabi.
“I really believe that after this fight, when I finish Bobby Green, they are going to give me title fight in Abu Dhabi,” Makhachev told The National via Zoom from his hotel room late on Wednesday.
“I’m going to tell the UFC and [president] Dana [White] and everybody that, ‘Hey, this is my 10-fight win streak. I deserve the title fight’. I’m going to be in Abu Dhabi, waiting for the champion there.”
Makhachev, whose professional record reads 21-1, certainly seems the most obvious challenger for the belt once current champion Charles Oliveira takes on No 1-ranked contender Justin Gaethje. That bout is expected for UFC 274 in May.
The division’s No 4 challenger, Makhachev rides a nine-fight win streak, his most recent victory the first-round submission of Dan Hooker at UFC 267 in Abu Dhabi last October. On Sunday morning UAE time, the Dagestan native faces Green in the headliner at UFC Fight Night at the promotion’s Apex.
Green fought only last week, dominating Nasrat Haqparast to record a second win on the bounce. The American, 29-12 in pro MMA, is a late replacement for Beneil Dariush, the No 3-ranked contender who suffered an injury in training last week. Green is known primarily for his striking; Dariush his ground game.
A supreme wrestler in his own right, Makhachev said the 11th-hour switch isn’t cause for concern.
“I’m always looking to finish my opponent,” he said. “That’s why it doesn’t matter who my opponent is. I don’t train one month, two months, for some opponent. All my life I’m training hard for any fighter. That’s why it doesn’t matter when they change opponent. Just give me fight, give me opponent, and that’s it.
“Bobby Green has very good boxing. And I’m going to check his wrestling and grappling skills.”
Makhachev, 30, said he was “very sad” that Dariush withdrew and that he anticipates they will fight in future – "maybe not this year, but very soon" – but he also credited Green for stepping up on short notice (as such, the bout takes place at a catchweight 160lbs).
Especially, Makhachev said, when several others would not.
“Of course,” he said. “I respect him a lot because he made this fight happen, he took this fight to make some money. I just want to help him make some money.
“First, I asked who all from the top 10 is free, I ask all these guys. I told my manager to call them. He called everybody, but nobody answered.
“I don’t want to say they were scared or something like this, because this is just 10 days before the fight. But always I have problem to fight with someone from top 10.”
Green, meanwhile, is not ranked.
“I know this guy’s not from the top of my division,” Makhachev said. “As I told you, he just wants to make some money. He fought only one week ago, he doesn’t have injuries or anything - that’s why he jumped to the fight.
“But other guys always run. Soon I’m going to take the belt and they’ll have to challenge me.”
Makhachev-Dariush was considered a title eliminator. However, with the latter pulling out, there have been suggestions that Conor McGregor could be next in line once he recovers from injury. The Irishman, a former two-division champion, broke his leg in last summer’s defeat to Dustin Poirier - his second successive loss to the American and third overall in his past four UFC appearances.
“You remember when McGregor won some fight?” Makhachev said, smiling. “If you remember, tell me. Because I don’t remember, too. I know I’m going to fight for the title. Because 10-fight win streak, this is key for title fight.”
Get past Green on Sunday, and Makhachev will be a particularly interested observer in Oliveira's title defence against Gaethje. The Brazilian rides a 10-fight win streak already.
“I think Charles is going to finish Justin,” Makhachev said. “They’re going to strike for a little bit, but I think he’s going to take him down, take his back and finish him.
“And 10-fight win streak versus 11-fight win streak is going to be a big fight, for the UFC and all my fans.”
Oliveira versus Makhachev at Etihad Arena – the latter has fought twice in Abu Dhabi, including UFC 242 in September 2019 – clearly whets the appetite.
“Of course,” Makhachev said. “I really want this. Because all the arena in Abu Dhabi, this is my people, and the arena will be full. This is a big support, when the whole arena is with you.
“This is perfect. [Abu Dhabi] is the best location for me. Because, for me, the hospitality in Abu Dhabi is No 1. I have everything there. They give me a very good gym, everything for the training camp.
“I can bring a lot of my sparring partners; all coaches and all my friends can come to Abu Dhabi. A lot of fans can come to support me.
“I just want to say thank you all my fans, all my brothers in Abu Dhabi, thank you for all the support. October or November we’re going to fight there. I know they have some event [planned]. See you there."
Hydrogen: Market potential
Hydrogen has an estimated $11 trillion market potential, according to Bank of America Securities and is expected to generate $2.5tn in direct revenues and $11tn of indirect infrastructure by 2050 as its production increases six-fold.
"We believe we are reaching the point of harnessing the element that comprises 90 per cent of the universe, effectively and economically,” the bank said in a recent report.
Falling costs of renewable energy and electrolysers used in green hydrogen production is one of the main catalysts for the increasingly bullish sentiment over the element.
The cost of electrolysers used in green hydrogen production has halved over the last five years and will fall to 60 to 90 per cent by the end of the decade, acceding to Haim Israel, equity strategist at Merrill Lynch. A global focus on decarbonisation and sustainability is also a big driver in its development.
Various Artists
Habibi Funk: An Eclectic Selection Of Music From The Arab World (Habibi Funk)
Who has lived at The Bishops Avenue?
- George Sainsbury of the supermarket dynasty, sugar magnate William Park Lyle and actress Dame Gracie Fields were residents in the 1930s when the street was only known as ‘Millionaires’ Row’.
- Then came the international super rich, including the last king of Greece, Constantine II, the Sultan of Brunei and Indian steel magnate Lakshmi Mittal who was at one point ranked the third richest person in the world.
- Turkish tycoon Halis Torprak sold his mansion for £50m in 2008 after spending just two days there. The House of Saud sold 10 properties on the road in 2013 for almost £80m.
- Other residents have included Iraqi businessman Nemir Kirdar, singer Ariana Grande, holiday camp impresario Sir Billy Butlin, businessman Asil Nadir, Paul McCartney’s former wife Heather Mills.
Hunting park to luxury living
- Land was originally the Bishop of London's hunting park, hence the name
- The road was laid out in the mid 19th Century, meandering through woodland and farmland
- Its earliest houses at the turn of the 20th Century were substantial detached properties with extensive grounds
RESULTS
6.30pm: Longines Conquest Classic Dh150,000 Maiden 1,200m.
Winner: Halima Hatun, Antonio Fresu (jockey), Ismail Mohammed (trainer).
7.05pm: Longines Gents La Grande Classique Dh155,000 Handicap 1,200m.
Winner: Moosir, Dane O’Neill, Doug Watson.
7.40pm: Longines Equestrian Collection Dh150,000 Maiden 1,600m.
Winner: Mazeed, Richard Mullen, Satish Seemar.
8.15pm: Longines Gents Master Collection Dh175,000 Handicap.
Winner: Thegreatcollection, Pat Dobbs, Doug Watson.
8.50pm: Longines Ladies Master Collection Dh225,000 Conditions 1,600m.
Winner: Cosmo Charlie, Pat Dobbs, Doug Watson.
9.25pm: Longines Ladies La Grande Classique Dh155,000 Handicap 1,600m.
Winner: Secret Trade, Tadhg O’Shea, Ali Rashid Al Raihe.
10pm: Longines Moon Phase Master Collection Dh170,000 Handicap 2,000m.
Winner:
RESULT
Kolkata Knight Riders 169-7 (20 ovs)
Rajasthan Royals 144-4 (20 ovs)
Kolkata win by 25 runs
Next match
Sunrisers Hyderabad v Kolkata Knight Riders, Friday, 5.30pm
Start-up hopes to end Japan's love affair with cash
Across most of Asia, people pay for taxi rides, restaurant meals and merchandise with smartphone-readable barcodes — except in Japan, where cash still rules. Now, as the country’s biggest web companies race to dominate the payments market, one Tokyo-based startup says it has a fighting chance to win with its QR app.
Origami had a head start when it introduced a QR-code payment service in late 2015 and has since signed up fast-food chain KFC, Tokyo’s largest cab company Nihon Kotsu and convenience store operator Lawson. The company raised $66 million in September to expand nationwide and plans to more than double its staff of about 100 employees, says founder Yoshiki Yasui.
Origami is betting that stores, which until now relied on direct mail and email newsletters, will pay for the ability to reach customers on their smartphones. For example, a hair salon using Origami’s payment app would be able to send a message to past customers with a coupon for their next haircut.
Quick Response codes, the dotted squares that can be read by smartphone cameras, were invented in the 1990s by a unit of Toyota Motor to track automotive parts. But when the Japanese pioneered digital payments almost two decades ago with contactless cards for train fares, they chose the so-called near-field communications technology. The high cost of rolling out NFC payments, convenient ATMs and a culture where lost wallets are often returned have all been cited as reasons why cash remains king in the archipelago. In China, however, QR codes dominate.
Cashless payments, which includes credit cards, accounted for just 20 per cent of total consumer spending in Japan during 2016, compared with 60 per cent in China and 89 per cent in South Korea, according to a report by the Bank of Japan.
England XI for second Test
Rory Burns, Keaton Jennings, Ben Stokes, Joe Root (c), Jos Buttler, Moeen Ali, Ben Foakes (wk), Sam Curran, Adil Rashid, Jack Leach, James Anderson
MATCH INFO
Champions League quarter-final, first leg
Manchester United v Barcelona, Wednesday, 11pm (UAE)
Match on BeIN Sports
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The five pillars of Islam
1. Fasting
2. Prayer
3. Hajj
4. Shahada
5. Zakat
Islamophobia definition
A widely accepted definition was made by the All Party Parliamentary Group on British Muslims in 2019: “Islamophobia is rooted in racism and is a type of racism that targets expressions of Muslimness or perceived Muslimness.” It further defines it as “inciting hatred or violence against Muslims”.
APPLE IPAD MINI (A17 PRO)
Display: 21cm Liquid Retina Display, 2266 x 1488, 326ppi, 500 nits
Chip: Apple A17 Pro, 6-core CPU, 5-core GPU, 16-core Neural Engine
Storage: 128/256/512GB
Main camera: 12MP wide, f/1.8, digital zoom up to 5x, Smart HDR 4
Front camera: 12MP ultra-wide, f/2.4, Smart HDR 4, full-HD @ 25/30/60fps
Biometrics: Touch ID, Face ID
Colours: Blue, purple, space grey, starlight
In the box: iPad mini, USB-C cable, 20W USB-C power adapter
Price: From Dh2,099
Nancy 9 (Hassa Beek)
Nancy Ajram
(In2Musica)
Off-roading in the UAE: How to checklist
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The candidates
Dr Ayham Ammora, scientist and business executive
Ali Azeem, business leader
Tony Booth, professor of education
Lord Browne, former BP chief executive
Dr Mohamed El-Erian, economist
Professor Wyn Evans, astrophysicist
Dr Mark Mann, scientist
Gina MIller, anti-Brexit campaigner
Lord Smith, former Cabinet minister
Sandi Toksvig, broadcaster
The National Archives, Abu Dhabi
Founded over 50 years ago, the National Archives collects valuable historical material relating to the UAE, and is the oldest and richest archive relating to the Arabian Gulf.
Much of the material can be viewed on line at the Arabian Gulf Digital Archive - https://www.agda.ae/en
Libya's Gold
UN Panel of Experts found regime secretly sold a fifth of the country's gold reserves.
The panel’s 2017 report followed a trail to West Africa where large sums of cash and gold were hidden by Abdullah Al Senussi, Qaddafi’s former intelligence chief, in 2011.
Cases filled with cash that was said to amount to $560m in 100 dollar notes, that was kept by a group of Libyans in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso.
A second stash was said to have been held in Accra, Ghana, inside boxes at the local offices of an international human rights organisation based in France.
Mia Man’s tips for fermentation
- Start with a simple recipe such as yogurt or sauerkraut
- Keep your hands and kitchen tools clean. Sanitize knives, cutting boards, tongs and storage jars with boiling water before you start.
- Mold is bad: the colour pink is a sign of mold. If yogurt turns pink as it ferments, you need to discard it and start again. For kraut, if you remove the top leaves and see any sign of mold, you should discard the batch.
- Always use clean, closed, airtight lids and containers such as mason jars when fermenting yogurt and kraut. Keep the lid closed to prevent insects and contaminants from getting in.
The specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo
Power: 261hp at 5,500rpm
Torque: 405Nm at 1,750-3,500rpm
Transmission: 9-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 6.9L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh117,059
Ferrari 12Cilindri specs
Engine: naturally aspirated 6.5-liter V12
Power: 819hp
Torque: 678Nm at 7,250rpm
Price: From Dh1,700,000
Available: Now
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Founders: Michele Ferrario, Nino Ulsamer and Freddy Lim
Started: established in 2016 and launched in July 2017
Based: Singapore, with offices in the UAE, Malaysia, Hong Kong, Thailand
Sector: FinTech, wealth management
Initial investment: $500,000 in seed round 1 in 2016; $2.2m in seed round 2 in 2017; $5m in series A round in 2018; $12m in series B round in 2019; $16m in series C round in 2020 and $25m in series D round in 2021
Current staff: more than 160 employees
Stage: series D
Investors: EightRoads Ventures, Square Peg Capital, Sequoia Capital India
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