Islam Makhachev unloads epic Christmas Day troll job
By Amy Kaplan
![Islam Makhachev Islam Makhachev](https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/c_crop,w_2979,h_1675,x_365,y_0/c_fill,w_720,ar_16:9,f_auto,q_auto,g_auto/images/GettyImages/mmsport/505/01hjh4cqm1j96xjsd34b.jpg)
UFC lightweight champion Islam Makhachev tweeted a brutal dig at Dan Hooker and all of team City Kickboxing on Dec. 25. The tweet is a photo of Hooker getting submitted by Makhachev at UFC 267.
The caption, "My IV bag," alludes to controversial comments made by members of the gym, including Hooker, after Makhachev defeated Alexander Volkanovski at UFC 284.
My IV bag pic.twitter.com/aYWZzBIJRX
— Makhachev Islam (@MAKHACHEVMMA) December 25, 2023
“Dumb c— thinks he can fly to Australia hire a nurse to give him an I.V and we won’t find out,” Hooker wrote on Twitter at the time. “Cheating dog.” He also made a second tweet saying "USADA doing f— all."
Dumb cunt thinks he can fly to Australia hire a nurse to give him an I.V and we won’t find out. Cheating dog.
— Dan Hangman Hooker (@danthehangman) February 13, 2023
USADA doing fuck all. pic.twitter.com/ilJplHsh9h
— Dan Hangman Hooker (@danthehangman) February 13, 2023
Prove me wrong. Bet cha can’t.
— Dan Hangman Hooker (@danthehangman) February 13, 2023
He also urged the champ to "prove me wrong."
Using an IV to rehydrate after a weigh-in is banned, but there are some exceptions to the rule. As far as we know, Makhachev has never been proven to use an IV (legally or illegally).
Dan Hooker admitted the Islam Makhachev might have been a 'misunderstanding'
Hooker backed up his claims while appearing on The MMA Hour in July, but admitted that it could have just been a misunderstanding.
“100 percent it was Islam Makhachev that took the I.V. That’s my opinion. I feel like it might have potentially been a genuine misunderstanding of the rules. We saw from my outburst, USADA’s clarification then the backlash, there’s still a lot of misunderstanding about the actual rule. I couldn’t even tell ya the actual rule. USADA’s like absolutely fine with it if you get a nurse to do it but then most commissions — it comes down to the local commission. It’s obviously not allowed in Australia but who knows?
Volkanovski fought Makhachev again and said he didn't want to get mixed up in the drama between his opponent and his teammate.
“I’m not gonna get involved with any of that, I’m staying away from all that,” Volkanovski told The MMA Hour. “I’ve got a job to do and we’ll just settle it. I don’t care. I’ll just pack my skills all the way, but I’m not gonna get into that. There’s so many other things. Short notice, obviously being in Abu Dhabi, all that type of stuff ... mate ... at this point I’m like, ‘who cares?’ The more adversities, the better the story, so whatever.”
Needless to say, Makhachev hasn't forgotten the accusation and is rubbing the three CKB wins in their faces for it.
Brutal.
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