UFC champion Islam Makhachev refrains from celebrating victory

Riyadh: UFC Lightweight Champion Islam Makhachev refrained from celebrating his 294th victory against Alexander Volkanovski on Saturday as a sign of solidarity with the Palestinian people.

In his post-fight interview, he thanked his team and coaches for their strategic game plan and touched on the ongoing Israel-Palestine conflict.

“I’m not celebrating the win today because of the crazy things that are happening around the world. Palestine, we stand with you — stop this, stop this,” he said.

His gesture garnered both support and criticism, with some applauding his stance supporting Palestinians and others blaming Hamas for the ongoing conflict.