UFC commentator and former two-division champion Daniel Cormier has some high praise for Islam Makhachev. The surging UFC lightweight, who trains alongside Cormier and former lightweight champ Khabib Nurmagomedov at American Kickboxing Academy, credits the homegrown wrestling culture in Islam Makhachev’s native Dagestan for his success, and believes that Makhachev is the best fighter at his weight on the planet.
“It’s new to the world, but it’s not new to us, the guys that have done international wrestling, guys that have been around the world championships.
DC: Islam Makhachev is Greatest Lightweight In the World
When I got my third place medal at the worlds, Russia had maybe five world champs or six, and they had a third [place]. Most of those guys were from Dagestan.
They just know how to wrestle. I knew the moment I saw Khabib and then I saw Islam, I was like uh-oh, the Dagestanis are starting to do mixed martial arts, it’s a problem for the world. That’s absolutely what has happened.”
Khabib Nurmagomedov retired undefeated with a 29-0 record. His fighting style was rooted in brutal, effective wrestling. Khabib would routinely mount his opponents, raining hammer fists down upon them, before transitioning to a submission to finish the fight. It worked against the likes of Dustin Poirier, Justin Gaethje, and Conor McGregor. Now, we’re seeing a very similar fighter, Islam Makhachev, deploy very similar tactics in the division Khabib once ruled.
“He’s the best fighter in the world at that weight class. His abilities are just second to none.” In fact, Islam is so sure of his wrestling ability that he demands increasingly difficult opponents, like Olympic gold medallists.
“Let me tell you something, this Islam Makhachev is crazy. I tell him [in the gym], ‘Hey, my guy took you down in practice,’ and he goes, ‘Brother, bring [Olympic gold medalist] Jordan Burroughs [to face me], this will be a good match.’ He’s so sure of his wrestling. I love Islam.”
Of course, the 155-pound division is one of the most heavily stacked, competitive divisions in the UFC, and in the sport of MMA overall. Islam Makhachev has made no secret of his goal of UFC gold, but he’ll need to move through elite opposition in the lightweight rankings in order to earn such a position. Only then will the hype be tested, and he may well be crowned the greatest lightweight on the planet.
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