Tag: Islam Makhachev

Islam Makhachev says Michael Chandler not a reliable opponent: ‘One tweet from your master, and you’ll run away’

UFC lightweight champion Islam Makhachev won’t invest his energy on Michael Chandler as a potential opponent.

UFC lightweight champion [autotag]Islam Makhachev[/autotag] won’t invest his energy on [autotag]Michael Chandler[/autotag] as a potential opponent.

Chandler (23-8 MMA, 2-3 UFC) revealed that he was offered a title shot against Makhachev in October after his main event with Conor McGregor this past Saturday at UFC 303 fell through.

However, Chandler made it clear that is priority is to rebook the McGregor (22-6 MMA, 10-4 UFC) fight for UFC 306 Sept. 14 at the Sphere. He did poke at Makhachev after though, claiming that his wrestling his better than Makhachev’s sambo.

“Good old fashioned passionate American @MizzouWrestling beats sambo all day. @MAKHACHEVMMA.”

“I’ve been 🎯 your ass for 8 years…good, old-fashioned, passionate @MizzouWrestling beats Dagestani sambo every day of the week @MAKHACHEVMMA.”

Chandler continued to angle for Makhachev.

I don’t get taken down in the open, I don’t get taken down on the cage…I don’t get taken down, period. #andNEW.”

Makhachev (25-1 MMA, 14-1 UFC) responded with a jab of his own, implying that Chandler plays by McGregor’s rules.

“You are unreliable dude, one tweet from your master, and you’ll run away. Champ needs real opponent.”

Makhachev notched his third title defense by submitting Dustin Poirier at UFC 302 in June. No. 1 contender Arman Tsarukyan was expected to be next in line, but his nine-month suspension from the Nevada Athletic Commission for throwing a punch at a fan during his UFC 300 walkout may delay his return.

Chandler has been waiting for the McGregor fight to materialize. He hasn’t competed since a submission loss to Poirier in November 2022.

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Rafael dos Anjos: Islam Makhachev can’t be No. 1 pound-for-pound with two title defenses over a featherweight

Rafael dos Anjos doesn’t think Islam Makhachev’s resume warrants the No. 1 spot in the UFC’s pound-for-pound rankings.

[autotag]Rafael dos Anjos[/autotag] doesn’t think [autotag]Islam Makhachev[/autotag]’s resume warrants the No. 1 spot in the UFC’s pound-for-pound rankings.

UFC lightweight champion Makhachev (25-1 MMA, 14-1 UFC) tied the division’s record of three title defenses when he submitted Dustin Poirier at UFC 302 earlier this month. His other two title defenses came over former featherweight champion Alexander Volkanovski.

UFC CEO Dana White argued that former UFC light heavyweight champion and current heavyweight champ Jon Jones (27-1 MMA, 21-1 UFC) should be the No. 1 pound-for-pound fighter, and dos Anjos agrees. Jones returned from an over three-year long layoff at UFC 285 to submit Ciryl Gane and claim the vacant heavyweight title.

“I don’t know who made those rankings, but a guy like Jon Jones, he’s a double-division champion,” dos Anjos told Sherdog. “He’s undefeated. I agree with Dana White 100 percent: If Jon Jones is around, he’s going to be the pound-for-pound, for sure – No. 1.

“He’s the best guy in the world in his division, and pound-for-pound as well. I don’t believe Islam Makhachev, with two title defenses against a featherweight and one title defense against a real lightweight, can be pound-for-pound No. 1.”

Former UFC lightweight champion dos Anjos (32-16 MMA, 21-14 UFC), who lost to Makhachev’s mentor Khabib Nurmagomedov in 2014, will ride out the rest of his career at welterweight – where he challenged for the interim title before in 2018.

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Chael Sonnen surprised Arman Tsarukyan turned down Islam Makhachev at UFC 302: ‘It’s not a good idea historically’

Chael Sonnen questions Arman Tsarukyan’s decision not to fight Islam Makhachev at UFC 302.

[autotag]Chael Sonnen[/autotag] questions [autotag]Arman Tsarukyan[/autotag]’s decision not to fight [autotag]Islam Makhachev[/autotag] at UFC 302.

After defeating Charles Oliveira at UFC 300 in April, Tsarukyan turned down a short-notice opportunity to challenge lightweight champion Makhachev earlier this month. Makhachev faced Dustin Poirier instead, submitting him in Round 5.

Tsarukyan (22-3 MMA, 9-2 UFC) is the current No. 1 contender. However, Makhachev (25-1 MMA, 14-1 UFC) is more interested in other options such as the welterweight title and even Conor McGregor, over running things back with Tsarukyan.

Sonnen thinks Tsarukyan may now have missed out on his title opportunity.

“Somebody in that spot would be very vulnerable to have that spot taken,” Sonnen said on his YouTube channel. “Tsarukyan was offered Islam. The very fight that Dustin Poirier just did was offered to Tsarukyan. … I was surprised that he said no. It’s not a good idea, historically speaking, in the UFC – and this is a 99 percent: It’s not a good idea to turn down fights.”

Sonnen is also surprised that no other lightweight contender has issued Makhachev a callout, or tried to take Tsarukyan’s title contention spot.

“There’s not a 155-pounder out there who has called out Islam, for one, but who has gone after Arman’s spot, for two,” Sonnen said. “And what a vulnerable position that is, by using the facts, by using the truth, by bringing up the fact (Tsarukyan) turned it down, it’s one of these things. I don’t think Islam himself who doesn’t overly want to do the fight – Islam just wants new matchups. I think we all understand that.”

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Ali Abdelaziz: Islam Makhachev wouldn’t say no to ‘massive star’ Conor McGregor for next title defense

It appears Conor McGregor may be able to jump the line and earn a title shot with a win at UFC 303.

It appears [autotag]Conor McGregor[/autotag] may be able to jump the line and earn a title shot with a win at UFC 303.

McGregor (22-6 MMA, 10-4 UFC) returns in the June 29 main event in a welterweight bout against Michael Chandler (23-8 MMA, 2-3 UFC).

Both UFC lightweight champion [autotag]Islam Makhachev[/autotag] (25-1 MMA, 14-1 UFC) and now his manager [autotag]Ali Abdelaziz[/autotag] are on board with McGregor being next in line with a win over Chandler.

“Conor might go there and knock out Chandler in the first round and after that, he’s one of the biggest stars in the sport,” Abdelaziz told Submission Radio. “Like him or hate him, he is. And if he tells the UFC, ‘Hey, I want a title shot,’ Islam wants a title shot, that can be the next title shot. Islam’s not going to say no to this fight. It’s a big fight, it’s a big name, it’s a lot more money.”

It’s no secret that Abdelaziz isn’t a fan of McGregor. He was a target in McGregor’s trash talk in the build up to the Khabib Nurmagomedov fight at UFC 229 – the highest-selling pay-per-view in company history.

“The guy’s a massive star,” Abdelaziz said. “I think he’s a piece of sh*t, but he is a massive star. You can’t take this away from him. With the history with Khabib and with him and with Islam, it will be all over again. It’ll be all over again and it’ll be one of the biggest fights you can make today.

“One thing I know about Dana White, he likes money and he likes business. That’s why the UFC is so big right now. You have Dana, you have Hunter, you have Sean, you have Mick. They are great minds, and they put on the biggest fights that can sell the most pay per views.”

Abdelaziz has his hesitations on McGregor’s form after “The Notorious” has been constantly seen partying in the lead-up to his fight with Chandler.

“Conor has to get off the bottle and he has to leave the drugs alone and focus,” Abdelaziz said. “The guy was a two-division champion, and he has talent. But is the hard work now there or not there anymore? You have to ask him this question.”

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For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 303.

Georges St-Pierre: UFC champ Islam Makhachev is ‘the best pound-for-pound right now’

UFC Hall of Famer Georges St-Pierre is the latest to back Islam Makhachev as the top pound-for-pound fighter in MMA over Jon Jones.

UFC Hall of Famer [autotag]Georges St-Pierre[/autotag] is the latest high-profile name to back [autotag]Islam Makhachev[/autotag] as the top pound-for-pound fighter in MMA over Jon Jones.

After Makhachev (25-1 MMA, 14-1 UFC) registered his third consecutive lightweight title defense with a fifth-round submission of Dustin Poirier at UFC 302 this month, UFC CEO Dana White stirred up the pound-for-pound discussion when he definitively dubbed Jones as No. 1.

White’s comments sparked a flurry of debate across the MMA community, and now former UFC welterweight and middleweight champion St-Pierre has shared his opinion.

“I think right now he’s the best pound-for-pound right now,” St-Pierre said to coach Firas Zahabi on the Tristar Gym YouTube channel. Because of his last few performances. Just amazing. An amazing showcase of heart, too, because he had a bad cut on his forehead and Poirier gave him a tough time. Pushed the pace to the edge, and I think that fight is going to make Makhachev even better. These are the fights that make you grow.”

Zahabi asked St-Pierre what he thinks Makhachev’s ceiling in the sport looks like given his recent success and what could be on the horizon. “Rush” is considered by most to be in the top-three fighters in all of MMA history, and arguably at the top of the list.

St-Pierre thinks Makhachev, 33, is well on his way to joining that even bigger discussion, so long as he stays the course.

“He’s already starting to get to that status right now (as an all-time great),” St-Pierre said. “Beating Volkanovski and now his last few performances are amazing.”

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Daniel Cormier: I don’t know that we’ll ever see anybody more dominant than Khabib Nurmagomedov

Daniel Cormier points out the main difference between Islam Makhachev and Khabib Nurmagomedov.

[autotag]Daniel Cormier[/autotag] points out the main difference between [autotag]Islam Makhachev[/autotag] and [autotag]Khabib Nurmagomedov[/autotag].

Both Makhachev (25-1 MMA, 14-1 UFC) and Nurmagomedov have notched three title defenses as lightweight champion – the division’s record in the UFC. With Nurmagomedov in his corner, Makhachev retained his lightweight title by submitting Dustin Poirier in Saturday’s UFC 302 main event.

Nurmagomedov’s (29-0 MMA, 13-0 UFC) title defenses came over Conor McGregor, Poirier, and Justin Gaethje before he decided to hang up his gloves. Cormier discussed their performances against common opponent Poirier.

“I don’t know that it’s fair to compare them, especially based on the common opponent, because I believe Dustin Poirier was better because he had the opportunity to fight Khabib Nurmagomedov,” Cormier said on his ESPN show “Good Guy/Bad Guy” with Chael Sonnen.

“He had felt that strength in grappling – a little bit of a recognition of what he would be facing when he got in the octagon. I was one of the people that said early, and I said I think Islam Makhachev is more dangerous than Khabib because of his striking. But as I reflect on this, as a guy that’s been in there with both, I don’t know if we’ll ever see anyone as dominant as Khabib.”

Cormier explains that Makhachev’s willingness to stand on the feet puts him in more risky situations than Nurmagomedov, who had one specific, but unstoppable way of winning fights.

“I’m not saying that Islam was losing the fight on Saturday,” Cormier said. “There were times, though, where it looked competitive. How often did you see Khabib Nurmagomedov not look outwardly dominant? That is where I think you make the difference. We don’t know what would’ve happened if Khabib stayed for a while, but … history tells us he’d probably still be holding onto that championship right now with about eight or nine title defenses and still kind of dominating the way that he did.

“So when I watch them, I think the dominance is different because Islam will stand with you more than Khabib was willing to. But it was in the idea that you knew exactly what Khabib Nurmagomedov was going to do to you and nobody could stop it. With Islam, sure, you’ve got more things to worry about – you’ve got to worry about the striking. But with Khabib, he literally would tell you, ‘I am going to take you down and maul you and beat you up,’ and no one could stop it. I don’t know that we’ll ever see anybody more dominant than him.”

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Arman Tsarukyan: Version of Islam Makhachev at UFC 302 ‘would be very easy fight for me’

After watching Islam Makhachev at UFC 302, Arman Tsarukyan is adamant he can beat him.

After watching [autotag]Islam Makhachev[/autotag] at UFC 302, [autotag]Arman Tsarukyan[/autotag] is adamant he can beat him.

Makhachev (25-1 MMA, 14-1 UFC) retained his lightweight title with a Round 5 submission of Dustin Poirier in this past Saturday’s main event. Tsarukyan is touted to be the next title challenger, as he’ll look to avenge his UFC debut loss to Makhachev.

Tsarukyan saw Makhachev slow down against Poirier (30-8 MMA, 22-7 UFC), and thinks he’d exploit him if he got tired in their fight. Makhachev confirmed speculation that he was battling a staph infection less than a month out of the fight.

“It would be very easy fight for me,” Tsarukyan said on The MMA Hour. “I could outwrestle him (in) that fight as well because he got tired. When you’re tired, you can’t do sh*t. Even if you have the best skills in the world, if you’re tired, you’re done. All his five-round fights – he got tired with Volkanovski, he got tired with Dustin, and hopefully it’s going to be my key to win this fight.

Poirier hung tough, stuffing multiple takedown attempts and even busting Makhachev open with an elbow. Tsarukyan expected Poirier to perform well.

“I wasn’t (surprised),” Tsarukyan said. “I knew his heart is very good and I told everybody it’s like 60-40. Everybody talk like, ‘Oh, Islam going to win him, 100 percent. He’s not going to give him any chance,’ but I knew it’s going to be tough fight. Dustin, he’s a dog, so I wasn’t like – his defensive wrestling was super good and Islam couldn’t choke him. When he got tired in the fifth round, yeah, he got him.

“It wasn’t his best performance. He got tired and he was slow. I feel like Islam doesn’t have very good conditioning or maybe he got sick or whatever. I’m not judging him because of his last fight, I got to watch all his fights and take him serious. He’s No. 1 pound-for-pound fighter. I’m just going to prepare like it’s best version of Islam Makhachev. Not underestimate him. Dustin can defend his wrestling, I’m going to defend as well.”

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For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 302.

Dana White: Islam Makhachev No. 1 pound-for-pound over Jon Jones shows media ‘know nothing about this f*cking sport’

Dana White continues to make a strong case for Jon Jones being the No. 1 pound-for-pound fighter.

[autotag]Dana White[/autotag] continues to make a strong case for [autotag]Jon Jones[/autotag] being the No. 1 pound-for-pound fighter.

The UFC CEO is baffled by the media voting lightweight champion [autotag]Islam Makhachev[/autotag] (25-1 MMA, 14-1 UFC) as the No. 1 pound-for-pound fighter over former longtime 205-pound champ and current heavyweight champion Jones.

White says the fact that Jones (27-1 MMA, 21-1 UFC) has never lost across two weight classes – minus a disqualification blemish to Matt Hamill, should make him No. 1.

“When you talk about, truly, right now – and Islam, I love you Islam – the fact that Jon Jones is No. 2 on the pound-for-pound list just goes to show how f*cking stupid – the media votes on that,” White said on the FLAGRANT podcast. “(It) just goes to show you that they have no f*cking idea. They know nothing about this f*cking sport. Jon Jones has never lost a fight ever.

“And when you talk about what it really means to be pound-for-pound, (Alexander) Volkanovski moved up and it was a very f*cking close fight the first time (vs. Makhachev). Jon Jones moved up and absolutely f*cking decimated the greatest heavyweight that was out there right now. (If Ciryl Gane) doesn’t go for that armbar, he beats Francis Ngannou and becomes the heavyweight champion. Jon Jones walked through (Gane) like it was f*cking nothing.”

A panel of media members selected by promotion officials casts ballots for the UFC’s official weekly rankings. MMA Junkie staff members do not participate in those rankings. Jones is No. 1 on the USA TODAY Sports/MMA Junkie MMA pound-for-pound list; Makhachev is No. 2

Makhachev is fresh off his third title defense when he submitted Dustin Poirier in this past Saturday’s UFC 302 headliner. He has aspirations of moving up a weight class to challenge for the welterweight title next.

Jones is expected to make his first title defense against the consensus greatest heavyweight of all time Stipe Miocic later this year.

“Jon Jones is the f*cking baddest dude to ever be involved in combat sports,” White said.

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Leon Edwards: I welcome ‘massive’ Islam Makhachev, fight but we’ve ‘both got work to do within our division’

Leon Edwards is open to fighting fellow UFC champ Islam Makhachev – but not right now.

[autotag]Leon Edwards[/autotag] is open to fighting fellow UFC champion [autotag]Islam Makhachev[/autotag] – but not right now.

Makhachev (25-1 MMA, 14-1 UFC) continued to express interest in moving up to welterweight to challenge Edwards after he submitted Dustin Poirier to retain his lightweight title in Saturday’s UFC 302 main event.

Edwards (21-3 MMA, 13-2 UFC) defends his welterweight title in a rematch against Belal Muhammad in the UFC 304 main event July 27 at Co-op Live in Manchester, England. He likes the idea of facing Makhachev, but not until they both log in a few more title defenses.

“I welcome it,” Edwards told Sky Sports of a Makhachev fight. “I think we’ve both got work to do within our division. Let’s say we both go on this reign, then why not? He just fought his first defense against an actual lightweight (Poirier). I feel like he’s got a few more lightweights he’s got to go through first before he can even think about moving up.

“But if we’re both going on these reigns, then why not later on in the future? We’re both similar age, 32 years old so, what a time to get it done for sure. It’s a massive fight. Feel like I’ve got work to do within my division first then the super fights will come.”

Edwards wants to chase dual-champion status himself.

“I would like to go up and challenge for the middleweight belt, that is my goal,” Edwards said. “But if we can get two at the same time, why not? My excitement is me getting another belt. My plan was to go next year. Defend my belt twice this year. That will be four defenses.

“Maybe one more next year. That’s five defenses. Then later on in the year, have a big middleweight fight. That’s six title fights. That’s more than worth it. That is my goal. Two this year, one next year, then end of next year move up.”

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For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 304.

Alexander Volkanovski says activity makes Islam Makhachev pound-for-pound No. 1 over Jon Jones

Alexander Volkanovski thinks Islam Makhachev is the rightful No. 1 pound-for-pound fighter in the UFC.

[autotag]Alexander Volkanovski[/autotag] thinks lightweight champion [autotag]Islam Makhachev[/autotag] is the rightful No. 1 pound-for-pound fighter in the UFC.

Makhachev (25-1 MMA, 14-1 UFC) submitted Dustin Poirier in Saturday’s UFC 302 headliner to notch his third title defense. In the post-fight news conference, UFC CEO Dana White claimed that former longtime light heavyweight champion and current heavyweight champ [autotag]Jon Jones[/autotag] should be No. 1 pound-for-pound over Makhachev.

Volkanovski (26-4 MMA, 13-3 UFC), who lost twice to Makhachev, thinks recent strength of schedule has to play a part in the argument.

“You look at Jon Jones, all right, we get it, you’re going to say he’s the greatest fighter of all time,” Volkanovski told Submission Radio. “But pound-for-pound has to go with, you know, if you fought, where one (has fought) in the last few years, eight times, against the names, and you’ve only fought once. Like, that’s got to come into play.

“But I mean, (if) we’re talking GOAT or greatest of all time top fighters, you know Jon Jones’ name is going to be up there. No one’s saying that’s not the case. But pound-for-pound, I think there has to be some activity there and who you fought lately. Islam has fought some great fighters and won. So, you’ve got to give him a lot of credit for that. I think he’s pound-for-pound.”

Volkanovski expressed interest in fighting Poirier at lightweight while he waits for his featherweight title shot. He praised both Makhachev and Poirier (30-9 MMA, 22-8 UFC) for their Fight of the Night efforts.

“I thought he (Poirier) fought great; Islam looked great, as well,” Volkanovski said. “I think a lot of people are expecting Dustin not to do so well. Like, obviously that first round it looked like, ‘Oh no, this is going to be a quick one.’ For him to bounce back from that and then start stopping the takedowns. The first one he got taken down pretty easily.

“So, I was like, ‘Oh, this ain’t a good look.’ But then he was able to stop him in the center, and he did a great job there. So, credit to him, showed toughness. But yeah, man, that’s expected from Dustin. We know he’s a gamer. We know he’s an absolute beast. And we know how good of a fighter Islam is. But I think Islam showed incredible striking, which we already knew.”

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For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 302.