[autotag]Ali Abdelaziz[/autotag] made a very bold statement about UFC lightweight champion [autotag]Islam Makhachev[/autotag].
Makhachev (26-1 MMA, 15-1 UFC) runs things back with Arman Tsarukyan (22-3 MMA, 9-2 UFC) Jan. 18 in the UFC 311 main event from Intuit Dome in Inglewood, Calif., and airs on ESPN+ pay-per-view following prelims on ESPN and ESPN+.
The fight marks a rematch after Makhachev defeated Tsarukyan by unanimous decision in April 2019, in what was Tsarukyan’s UFC debut.
Abdelaziz, who like many others regards his client as the No. 1 pound-for-pound fighter in the sport ahead of UFC 311, is so high on Makhachev, that he even sees him being a bad stylistic matchup for UFC light heavyweight champion [autotag]Alex Pereira[/autotag] (12-2 MMA, 9-1 UFC).
“He had a situation in the first fight (with Tsarukyan), I’m not going to make excuses for him,” Abdelaziz told MMA Junkie. “Arman is an absolute beast, he’s very tough – I think Arman will be a champion, but I don’t think it’s now. It’s not his time. He’s young. I don’t think any man from 155 pounds to 185 pounds can beat Islam Makhachev. It doesn’t exist. I believe 155, 170, 185, I think Islam can beat anybody at any given day.
“This is what I believe in because what he’s shown me, the development, the improvement. I think Islam will beat Alex Pereira at 205, I do. I swear to Allah. I think Islam Makhachev will beat Alex Pereira. He’s just going to take him down and finish him, submit him. Alex Pereira can knock out anybody on the planet if he touches you, but I think Islam Makhachev is this good. …Skill for skill, I think he’s one of the best fighters, most complete fighters we’ve ever seen. It’s not Demetrious Johnson, it’s nobody.”
Abdelaziz also disagrees with Dana White’s statement that UFC heavyweight champion Jon Jones is the pound-for-pound No. 1 fighter. He thinks Makhachev’s resume has been more impressive than “Bones,” and he’s deserving of his top spot in the official UFC rankings.
“The man finished seven of his last eight opponents,” Abdelaziz said of Makhachev. “He beat the pound-for-pound No. 1 ranked. The caliber of fighters he beat is not like who Jon Jones beat, and that’s no disrespect to Jon Jones. He’s amazing, but he’s beaten Ciryl Gane, who can’t wrestle. He beat Stipe (Miocic), who’s a grandfather.
“He’s old. He’s a legend of course. Islam Makhachev didn’t go to a split decision with Thiago Santos. It doesn’t happen. He smashes people’s faces. He makes them look like they don’t even belong there, but we’re going to see. Jan. 18, one more for Islam Makhachev, and I think he’s going to make it look easy.”
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For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 311.