Tag: Islam Makhachev

Alexander Volkanovski: Ilia Topuria wouldn’t submit Islam Makhachev, but he can knock him out

Alexander Volkanovski thinks UFC champ Ilia Topuria has the power to put anyone away – at featherweight and lightweight.

[autotag]Alexander Volkanovski[/autotag] thinks UFC champion [autotag]Ilia Topuria[/autotag] has the power to put anyone away – at featherweight and lightweight.

Topuria (16-0 MMA, 8-0 UFC) is coming off back-to-back knockouts of Volkanovski and most recently Max Holloway in Saturday’s UFC 308 main event in Abu Dhabi. Topuria wants a shot at lightweight champion [autotag]Islam Makhachev[/autotag] and is confident he can submit him.

Volkanovski isn’t sure about the submitting him part but definitely won’t rule out Topuria’s chance of catching Makhachev (25-1 MMA, 14-1 UFC) on the feet.

“Submission, I don’t see that happening,” Volkanovski said on “The Ariel Helwani Show.” “Can he knock Islam out? Of course. He can knock anyone out in them two divisions (featherweight and lightweight). I’ve always said, and it’s going to be the same for Islam, the only way I see these guys like myself losing is getting caught. Who can catch these? It’s guys like Ilia that can do that.

“He could go out there and land, but going out there and beating Islam or even submitting him and controlling him, I think that is very, very unlikely. But definitely could catch him. Ilia can catch anyone in them two divisions, so you can never count out Ilia in them fights, but they are going to be tough fights. If he can’t knock them out, they’re tough fights for him. Very tough fights.”

Volkanovski (26-4 MMA, 13-3 UFC) has been taking time off ever since losing his featherweight title to Topuria at UFC 298 in February. He appears to have gotten UFC CEO Dana White’s approval on an immediate rematch, but Topuria and his team are not keen on fighting at UFC 312 Feb. 8 in Sydney.

Both Volkanovski and Diego Lopes have openly said they would fight each other on that date for the interim title if Topuria opts against a relatively quick turnaround.

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For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 308.

Javier Mendez doesn’t think Ilia Topuria can hang with Islam Makhachev on the ground

Javier Mendez doesn’t think it would be wise for Ilia Topuria to go to the mat with Islam Makhachev in a fight.

[autotag]Javier Mendez[/autotag] sees [autotag]Ilia Topuria[/autotag] having a tough time with [autotag]Islam Makhachev[/autotag] on the ground.

After becoming the first fighter to knock out Max Holloway at UFC 308, featherweight champion Topuria (16-0 MMA, 8-0 UFC) continued to express interest in a fight with lightweight champion Makhachev.

Topuria is confident that he can submit Makhachev (25-1 MMA, 14-1 UFC), but American Kickboxing Academy head coach Mendez thinks it wouldn’t be wise for Topuria to tangle with Makhachev on the ground.

“That would be an area I’d be foolish to want to try to go up against, boxing for boxing,” Mendez told Submission Radio. “That’s not a smart move, you know? And it just would be like, if Ilia decided to go submission for submission with Islam, that’s not a smart move on his part either. So it’s all strategy and how you approach it, how your fighter approaches it and, what mistakes you can correct while the fight is going on.

“That’s what I think is more important than anything. When the fight does get matched, it’s just your game plan, your strategy, executing it. Whether he can hang with Islam or not on the ground, I would have to say no. Based on what I see with everybody and Islam. The only person that really did the most with him was Khabib, and at the end of the day, the longer you grapple with Islam, the worse it’s going to get.”

Mendez dubbed Topuria as the best boxer in all of MMA, and even though Makhachev has proven he can stand with the best, he wouldn’t advise him to do so against Topuria.

“I mean, when he took Max down with ease in the first round, I said, ‘That’s the way you fight MMA,’ and he has a very strong stand-up game,” Mendez said of Topuria. “I would think that he’s probably the best boxer in the whole entire division. He’s really crisp and very on point with his boxing, and therefore you see how he uses it really, really well. He’s a complete fighter, but his boxing, I think, is his best attribute out of everything he does. He’s impressive, very impressive.”

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For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 308.

Arman Tsarukyan says Islam Makhachev ‘doesn’t deserve’ No. 1 pound-for-pound spot, backs Jon Jones

Arman Tsarukyan sides with UFC CEO Dana White on the pound-for-pound debate ahead of his title fight vs. Islam Makhachev.

ABU DHABI – [autotag]Arman Tsarukyan[/autotag] can’t help but think he should be just a few days from fighting [autotag]Islam Makhachev[/autotag] for the lightweight title at UFC 308. Instead, he’ll have to wait a few more months.

Tsarukyan (22-3 MMA, 9-2 UFC) was ready and willing to fight Makhachev (26-1 MMA, 15-1 UFC) on Saturday’s card at Etihad Arena, but then the champion sustained a hand injury that prolonged his timeline for a return into early 2025.

Despite that, Tsarukyan flew to the event as a guest fighter to feel the energy of a massive fight week on a card now headlined by Ilia Topuria and Max Holloway. However, he admits he wishes it was him in the main event.

“We were supposed to fight here and then in December, but now they told me beginning of next year,” Tsarukyan told MMA Junkie on Tuesday. “I’m getting ready and hopefully it’s going to be in January or February. It’s going to be a title fight for sure. I wish I fight this weekend because I don’t want to waste my time and wait, because I fought just one time this year. I wanted to fight now and then rest and then fight and defend my title next year.”

Tsarukyan’s showdown with Makhachev, whenever it happens, will be a rematch between the two top-ranked lightweights in the UFC. They first met in April 2019, with Tsarukyan losing a decision in the Fight of the Night. He took the bout on short notice and performed admirably, but both men have improved significantly since then.

It’s Tsarukyan’s expectation that the second encounter will be a competitive one, as well, but ultimately he is setting the bar high for himself, and that means finishing the job without the involvement of the judges.

“You can’t say it’s going to be an easy fight,” Tsarukyan said. “I try to think it’s going to be easy for me, and I don’t want to think it’s going to be a decision. I want to finish him.”

According to the UFC’s official rankings, Makhachev is currently the No. 1 pound-for-pound fighter in the organization. UFC CEO Dana White has adamantly rejected that notion and emphatically backed Jon Jones for the position, and Tsarukyan tends to agree with that stance.

“No, he doesn’t deserve it,” Tsarukyan said. “I agree the No. 1 pound-for-pound is Jon Jones because he’s a legend. He’s still fighting. We’ll see. Next month he’s fighting and if he beats Stipe Miocic, he’s got to be No. 1 pound-for-pound. Then when he retires, of course it’s Islam.”

Tsarukyan, 28, said he expects the fight with Makhachev, 32, to be finalized in the coming days, with UFC 311 on Jan. 18 or UFC 312 on Feb. 12 being the most likely dates. If Tsarukyan captures the 155-pound strap, he would be 1-1 in head-to-head competition with Makhachev. Does that mean a trilogy would be next? He can’t say for sure, but Tsarukyan would most certainly be open to more fights with Makhachev going forward.

“For me, it doesn’t matter – I can fight with him three or four times,” Tsarukyan said. “I just want the title. After the title I can tell what I’m going to do. My goal is just to win the title and then after that I don’t know what I’m going to do.”

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Khabib Nurmagomedov explains why UFC fans won’t ever miss him in the cage

Khabib Nurmagomedov again insists there’s no chance he will ever fight, but don’t worry about that.

[autotag]Khabib Nurmagomedov[/autotag] insists there’s no chance he will ever return to fighting.

Nurmagomedov, the former undefeated UFC lightweight champion and UFC Hall of Famer, continuously gets asked if he’d contemplate coming out of retirement, but he heavily dismissed that possibility once again.

Nurmagomedov retired in October 2020 after submitting Justin Gaethje to retain his lightweight title. While many wonder what could have been if “The Eagle” continued fighting, Nurmagomedov said there’s no need. He plans on having his legacy live through his proteges, which has already seen [autotag]Islam Makhachev[/autotag] claim the UFC lightweight title and defend it three times.

“If you guys need champions, I’m helping my brothers to become champions,” Nurmagomedov said in an interview with iNews. “We have Islam as a champion, we have Umar (Nurmagomedov) as next contender, we have Usman (Nurmagomedov) as champion. We have a lot of champions. You guys are never going to miss me because, in our team and our gym, we create champions. You guys are always going to have champions, don’t worry.”

In an  interview with Ushatayka, Nurmagomedov revealed that Makhachev is looking at January for his next title defense. He didn’t reveal the opponent, but it is expected to be a rematch against Arman Tsarukyan, whom he defeated by decision in April 2019.

“Islam is now not only a champion, he is the pound-for-pound best fighter in the world,” Nurmagomedov said. “UFC offered us a fight already, in January. We accepted it.”

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Chael Sonnen, Daniel Cormier encourage UFC champ Islam Makhachev to take ‘heel’ turn

Chael Sonnen and Daniel Cormier think they have a way to make Islam Makhachev one of the UFC’s biggest draws.

[autotag]Chael Sonnen[/autotag] and [autotag]Daniel Cormier[/autotag] suggest a way UFC lightweight champion [autotag]Islam Makhachev[/autotag] can become one of the prmotion’s biggest draws.

Makhachev (25-1 MMA, 14-1 UFC) has already tied the UFC divisional record for most title defenses at three after submitting Dustin Poirier at UFC 302 in June. He also boasts one of the biggest social media followings on the UFC roster, with 8.7 million on Instagram.

Cormier argued that outside of a few exceptions, you can only be a big pay-per-draw if you go on a long title reign. While he thinks Makhachev has the ability to do that, both he and Sonnen would like to see him tap into a more trash-talking style.

“That guy is so charismatic, and he is so secretly funny,” Sonnen said on “Good Guy/Bad Guy” with Daniel Cormier. “If he was to do a heel turn, I mean, come on. He said one of the great heel lines ever. He said a whole bunch of professors should be taking their black belts back from guys.

“Like that angle and that is blasphemy in this sport, and nobody even knows got it. It was like this G-rated line. He didn’t use profanity. He didn’t yell. When he said it, he said it nicely. That is a heel move! What if he did a whole bit on that?”

Cormier agrees with Sonnen. He thinks Makhachev should embrace his dominance, which has seen him win 14 fights in a row – including finishes of Poirier, Alexander Volkanovski and Charles Oliveira.

“I think that’s the move for Islam,” Cormier said. “He needs to get you and I to write him promos. We should write him promos. We write promos telling how much better he is than everyone. I would make him tell everybody that they don’t deserve to be in there with him, and he’s just going to lord over this division until he decides to retire.”

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Dana White says no interim lightweight title fight while UFC champ Islam Makhachev recovers

Dana White is not interested in creating a UFC interim lightweight title.

[autotag]Dana White[/autotag] is not interested in creating a UFC interim lightweight title.

[autotag]Islam Makhachev[/autotag] (25-1 MMA, 14-1 UFC) is currently sidelined due to a ligament injury in his hand. He most recently defended his title with a late submission of Dustin Poirier at UFC 302 in June.

No. 1 contender [autotag]Arman Tsarukyan[/autotag] (22-3 MMA, 9-2 UFC) was hoping to challenge Makhachev on Oct. 26 at UFC 308 in Abu Dhabi but will likely have to wait a few more months. Tsarukyan said he’s willing to take another fight in the meantime, as long as it’s for an interim title, but White shut down that possibility.

“No,” White said in an interview with Manouk Akopyan when asked about an interim lightweight title fight. “Islam’s fought so many times and is always willing to jump up and take a fight. So, no, there won’t be an interim title. “When he’s ready to go, we’ll go. We have plans. We’re looking at it right now on when he would fight.”

Tsarukyan told Red Corner MMA that he’s hearing his rematch with Makhachev will take place early next year. White was asked about the possibility of UFC 310 on Dec. 7.

“I don’t know (if Dec. 7 is likely),” White said. “We’re working on it.”

Tsarukyan edged out Charles Oliveira at UFC 300 to emerge as No. 1 contender. He faced Makhachev in his UFC debut April 2019, losing a back-and-forth unanimous decision. He has since gone 9-1 and is on a four-fight winning streak.

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Sean O’Malley considers UFC champ Islam Makhachev the ‘greatest fighter right now’

Sean O’Malley gave UFC lightweight champion Islam Makhachev his flowers.

[autotag]Sean O’Malley[/autotag] has given fellow UFC champion [autotag]Islam Makhachev[/autotag] his flowers.

Bantamweight champ O’Malley (17-1 MMA, 10-1 UFC), who defends his title against Merab Dvalishvili (17-4 MMA, 10-2 UFC) in the UFC 306 main event Sept. 14 at Sphere in Las Vegas, has goals of becoming the greatest of all time.

When asked whom he thinks is the current best fighter, O’Malley shared the same opinion as the panel in charge of the UFC’s pound-for-pound rankings: Makhachev (25-1 MMA, 14-1 UFC), who is currently tied for most lightweight title defenses all time at three.

“Greatest fighter right now? Probably Islam (Makhachev),” O’Malley told Helen Yee. “I mean, Jon Jones is up there. I think Jon’s fought once in the last four, five years. Jon Jones is up there of the greatest of all time, but right now who’s the greatest? Like, who has been active last four years or whatever, I think its Islam, but Jon Jones is always going to be in the conversation.”

Not only does O’Malley want to be the greatest fighter of all time, but he also aspires to be the biggest star.

“Right now it’s Conor McGregor, 100 percent,” O’Malley told ESPN on the who the biggest star is. “He’s a dork, but it’s the truth. For me to get to that, I go out there and knock out Merab, I go up to ’45, I beat Ilia (Topuria), I beat Max (Holloway), I beat Umar (Nurmagomedov), I’m three fights away from being considered one of the greatest of all time, one of the most exciting of all time. There’s a difference.

“No one thinks Conor’s the greatest fighter of all time. He was lacking skills. He lacked title defenses, but entertainment-wise, he’s the best in the world. Entertainment-wise, he was the best. Greatest fighter of all time, Jon Jones, Khabib (Nurmagomedov), Islam, (all) up there. I want to be both. I want to be one of the greatest of all time, and one of the most entertaining of all time. That’s my goal.”

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For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 306.

UFC’s Mateusz Gamrot says he’d have wrestling advantage in Islam Makhachev fight

A win over Dan Hooker at UFC 305 would be Mateusz Gamrot’s fourth in a row and could secure a lightweight title shot.

[autotag]Mateusz Gamrot[/autotag] considers himself the best wrestler in the UFC lightweight division.

Gamrot (24-2 MMA, 7-2 UFC) meets Dan Hooker (23-12 MMA, 13-8 UFC) on Saturday’s UFC 305 (pay-per-view, ESPN, ESPN+) main card at RAC Arena in Perth, Australia.

Winner of seven of his past eight fights, Gamrot is closing in on a title shot. He is adamant that he would pose a big threat to UFC lightweight champion [autotag]Islam Makhachev[/autotag] (25-1 MMA, 14-1 UFC) on the ground. Gamrot helped Dustin Poirier prep for his title fight against Makhachev at UFC 302 in June, which “The Diamond” fell short by late submission.

“In my opinion, I am the best wrestler in the lightweight division,” Gamrot said in an interview with “Home of Fight.” “Of course, Islam is super high level, and he always shows high-level skill, but if I meet him in the cage, I think he can’t take me down, but I will (take him down). Then it’s going to be a great scramble matchup.”

Makhachev’s next title defense is expected to be Arman Tsarukyan, who Gamrot edged out in a five-round battle in June 2022. Makhachev pondered a move up to welterweight for an opportunity at a second belt, but Gamrot hopes he sticks around long enough at 155 pounds so he can fight him.

“I hope he doesn’t go up division and he stays in the lightweight division,” Gamrot continued. “Maybe not this year because we don’t have time, but next year we’ll meet together, and we’ll see who is the best wrestler in the lightweight division.”

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For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 305.

Paddy Pimblett reacts to Islam Makhachev touting him as potential future UFC title challenger: ‘We’re coming’

Paddy Pimblett plans on giving UFC lightweight champion Islam Makhachev something to be excited about.

[autotag]Paddy Pimblett[/autotag] plans on giving UFC lightweight champion [autotag]Islam Makhachev[/autotag] something to be excited about.

Unbeaten in the octagon, Pimblett (22-3 MMA, 6-0 UFC) entered the top 15 lightweight rankings after a quick submission finish of King Green at UFC 304 in July.

Although Pimblett likely is a few fights away before entering title contention, Makhachev (25-1 MMA, 14-1 UFC) was asked about the popular Brit during a recent UFC Q&A in Abu Dhabi.

“When he deserve, why not?” Makhachev said. “If he won the next couple matches, when he’s going to be like top 10, why not? Because I don’t have some exciting fights in my division. We need some new names.

“I see how he finish King. It was a good performance, and now it’s the time that he has good opponents, when he’s at the top. Now he has to train more. Now it’s all guys who are so dangerous.”

Makhachev has found it hard to get up for a rematch with No. 1 contender Arman Tsarukyan since he already beat him in April 2019. Makhachev was looking forward to a move up to welterweight to chase dual-champion status, but his plans were put on hold after his friend Belal Muhammad claimed the title.

Pimblett reacted to Makhachev’s praise, and plans on seeing him in the near future.

“Did you see that where Islam was talking about me the other day? He said, ‘He’s an exciting fighter,’ and that ‘If he keeps winning, you never know,'” Pimblett said on his YouTube channel. “‘He could fight for the belt,’ and that. You know Islam, we’re coming. We’re coming brother, we’re coming.”

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Dricus Du Plessis warns Islam Makhachev against middleweight move: ‘He’s dreaming real big. I’m very big’

Dricus Du Plessis laughed off the idea of Islam Makhachev jumping to middleweight.

[autotag]Dricus Du Plessis[/autotag] laughed off the idea of [autotag]Islam Makhachev[/autotag] jumping to middleweight.

Makhachev’s coach, Javier Mendez, said the UFC lightweight champion has the skills to move up to 185 pounds. Those claims were made after Makhachev’s plans of moving up to welterweight to capture a second UFC title were halted courtesy of his friend Belal Muhammad’s title win.

Muhammad himself said Makhachev could beat Du Plessis, but the UFC middleweight champion could only scoff at that notion.

“I mean, what can I say? Everybody can dream, right?” Du Plessis told Kevin Iole. “I always say never cap your dreams – dream big. But he’s dreaming real big. I’m very big. Of course, in this sport, everybody wants that – I mean, especially after it’s been done. I completely understand going up to another division and fighting for another belt because there comes a stage where it makes sense. I’m not the one who’s going to say no.

“I’m saying you have to, at the least – at the very least – defend your belt three times, maybe four, before ever considering going up – unless there’s a special circumstance that makes sense. People win a belt, and they immediately go, ‘I want to be double (champion).’ But you’re not Conor McGregor. He was the first to do it, and he did it in spectacular fashion. He was the trendsetter. He was the pioneer in doing that, and everyone tries to be like that. That’s not the case (here).”

Du Plessis makes his first title defense against Israel Adesanya on Aug. 17 in the UFC 305 main event from Perth, Australia.

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For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 305.