Islam Makhachev – Page 53 – Syndication Server

Islam Makhachev excited for first UFC main event: ‘Five rounds, this is good’

Islam Makhachev discusses what it’s like be headlining a UFC event for the very first time.

LAS VEGAS – The more fight time, the better for [autotag]Islam Makhachev[/autotag].

The rising UFC lightweight contender is excited to headline his first UFC card on Saturday at UFC on ESPN 26 against Thiago Moises. The event is set to go down at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas.

And with a headlining bout comes not only more exposure, but also more fight time. And Makhachev (19-1 MMA, 8-1 UFC) is excited to finally get a taste of what a championship fight could be like given that he’s set to fight five rounds, rather than the typical three.

“I’m excited because this is my first main event,” Makhachev told MMA Junkie. “Five rounds, this is good before they give me a title fight because I have to fight sometimes five rounds. I have to feel five rounds and I have to change my schedule for five rounds.”

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Of course, the fight could end much earlier than the scheduled 25 minutes for UFC on ESPN 26 main event. Makhachev hopes to get the finish as soon as he can, but has no problem going the distance, as he feels more than ready.

“It doesn’t matter because I’m always training hard, doesn’t matter how many rounds,” Makhachev explained. “That’s why when they called me with the main event and asked if i wanted to fight five rounds, I said of course. I’m always training hard that’s why it doesn’t matter five rounds.”

Makhachev is on an impressive run, as he’s stringed together seven consecutive wins. The Dagestan native hopes to get a crack at highly ranked opposition, if victorious against Moises on Saturday.

“I think it’s going to be some guy from top 5, I don’t know,” Makhachev said. “I can think of a couple of guys, maybe RDA (Rafael Dos Anjos) or Tony (Ferguson). I was supposed to fight RDA in Abu Dhabi. He got corona and they cancelled the fight and then I came to Vegas and I had an infection. We were supposed to fight, but maybe it’s next, I don’t know.”

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Islam Makhachev vs. Thiago Moises elevated to UFC on ESPN 26 main event on July 17

Islam Makhachev and Thiago Moises are being put in the spotlight for the first time in their UFC careers.

[autotag]Islam Makhachev[/autotag] and [autotag]Thiago Moises[/autotag] are being put in the spotlight for the first time in their UFC careers.

Makhachev (19-1 MMA, 8-1 UFC) and Moises (15-4 MMA, 4-2 UFC), already booked to meet at UFC on ESPN 26 on July 17, now will serve as the night’s five-round main event at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas. Two people with knowledge of the situation informed MMA Junkie’s John Morgan of the switch, which comes after Max Holloway was forced to withdraw from the original headliner against Yair Rodriguez.

Islam Makhachev vs. Thiago Moises will now serve as the main event of the UFC’s July 17 event, according to multiple people with knowledge of the agreement. Fight now scheduled for five rounds.

— John Morgan (@MMAjunkieJohn) June 24, 2021

Makhachev, No. 7 in the latest USA TODAY Sports/MMA Junkie lightweight rankings, is riding a seven-fight winning streak at 155 pounds and is coming off a submission victory over Drew Dober at UFC 259 in March.

Rather than facing the top-ranked name he was asking for, though, Makhachev will clash with unranked Moises, who has put together consecutive wins over Alexander Hernandez, Bobby Green and Michael Johnson.

The updated lineup for UFC on ESPN 26 now includes:

Islam Makhachev vs. Thiago Moises
Marion Reneau vs. Miesha Tate
Amir Albazi vs. Ode Osbourne
Sergey Morozov vs. Khalid Taha
Guram Kutateladze vs. Don Madge
Gabriel Benitez vs. Billy Quarantillo
Francisco Figueredo vs. Malcolm Gordon
Anderson dos Santos vs. Miles Johns
Alan Baudot vs. Rodrigo Nascimento
Phil Hawes vs. Deron Winn
Mateusz Gamrot vs. Jeremy Stephens
Alan Baudot vs. Rodrigo Nascimento
Amanda Lemos vs. Montserrat Ruiz
Abubakar Nurmagomedov vs. Daniel Rodriguez

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Twitter Mailbag: Does Cody Garbrandt or Rob Font have more to gain at UFC Fight Night 188?

Who has more to gain in the UFC Fight Night 188 headliner? What’s next for some of the event’s key winners?

Questions on your mind about recent happenings in the UFC or sport of MMA in general? MMA Junkie’s Twitter Mailbag is here – and this week, @mma_kings answers:

Who has more to gain at UFC Fight Night 188, [autotag]Rob Font[/autotag] or [autotag]Cody Garbrandt[/autotag]?
What’s next for the [autotag]Jack Hermansson[/autotag] vs. [autotag]Edmen Shahbazyan[/autotag] winner?
What’s next for [autotag]Yan Xiaonan[/autotag] if she beats [autotag]Carla Esparza[/autotag]?
What are the odds [autotag]Chris Barnett[/autotag] beats [autotag]Ben Rothwell[/autotag]?
How good is [autotag]Islam Makhachev[/autotag]?

Watch the video above for answers to those questions.

To ask a question of your own, follow @MMAjunkie on Twitter and let us know.

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Islam Makhachev vs. Thiago Moises booked for UFC Fight Night on July 17

Islam Makhachev will look to extend his winning streak to eight against Thiago Moises at UFC Fight Night in July.

[autotag]Islam Makhachev[/autotag] won’t get the highly ranked name he wanted for his next fight, and instead will get a streaking UFC lightweight in [autotag]Thiago Moises[/autotag].

Makhachev (19-1 MMA, 8-1 UFC) and Moises (15-4 MMA, 4-2 UFC) have agreed to meet at UFC Fight Night on July 17. The event does not have announced location, venue or broadcast plans.

MMA Junkie verified the matchup with a person close to the situation following an initial report from ESPN. The person requested anonymity because UFC has yet to make an official announcement.

Makhachev, No. 8 in the latest USA TODAY Sports/MMA Junkie lightweight rankings, is riding a seven-fight winning streak at 155 pounds and is coming off a submission victory over Drew Dober at UFC 259 in March.

Rather than facing the top-ranked name he was asking for, though, Makhachev will clash with the unranked Moises, who has put together consecutive wins over Alexander Hernandez, Bobby Green and Michael Chandler.

The latest lineup for UFC Fight Night on July 17 now includes:

Marion Reneau vs. Miesha Tate
Amir Albazi vs. Ode Osbourne
Sergey Morozov vs. Khalid Taha
Guram Kutateladze vs. Don Madge
Cameron Else vs. Aaron Phillips
Herbert Burns vs. Billy Quarantillo
Francisco Figueredo vs. Malcolm Gordon
Anderson dos Santos vs. Miles Johns
Alan Baudot vs. Rodrigo Nascimento
Phil Hawes vs. Deron Winn
Islam Makhachev vs. Thiago Moises

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Islam Makhachev vs. Thiago Moises booked for UFC Fight Night on July 17

Islam Makhachev will look to extend his winning streak to eight against Thiago Moises at UFC Fight Night in July.

[autotag]Islam Makhachev[/autotag] won’t get the highly ranked name he wanted for his next fight, and instead will get a streaking UFC lightweight in [autotag]Thiago Moises[/autotag].

Makhachev (19-1 MMA, 8-1 UFC) and Moises (15-4 MMA, 4-2 UFC) have agreed to meet at UFC Fight Night on July 17. The event does not have an announced location, venue or broadcast plans.

MMA Junkie verified the matchup with a person close to the booking following an initial report from ESPN. The person requested anonymity because the UFC has yet to make an official announcement.

The latest lineup for UFC Fight Night on July 17 now includes:

Marion Reneau vs. Miesha Tate
Amir Albazi vs. Ode Osbourne
Sergey Morozov vs. Khalid Taha
Guram Kutateladze vs. Don Madge
Cameron Else vs. Aaron Phillips
Herbert Burns vs. Billy Quarantillo
Francisco Figueredo vs. Malcolm Gordon
Anderson dos Santos vs. Miles Johns
Alan Baudot vs. Rodrigo Nascimento
Phil Hawes vs. Deron Winn
Islam Makhachev vs. Thiago Moises

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Rafael dos Anjos responds to Islam Makhachev’s callout, willing to fight – with one condition

Rafael dos Anjos is happy to oblige to Islam Makhachev’s callout, but only if it leads to one thing.

[autotag]Rafael dos Anjos[/autotag] is happy to oblige to [autotag]Islam Makhachev[/autotag]’s callout, but only if it leads to one thing.

Dos Anjos (31-13 MMA, 19-11 UFC) and Makhachev have been on a collision course on multiple occasions, but the fight never has materialized. The pair were scheduled to face off at UFC 254, but a positive COVID-19 test forced dos Anjos to withdraw. They were then rebooked for UFC Fight Night 182, but it was Makhachev who was forced out due to injury. Dos Anjos ended up facing Paul Felder instead and beat “The Irish Dragon” in a “Fight of the Night” effort.

Makhachev (19-1 MMA, 8-1 UFC) returned at UFC 259 this past Saturday and submitted Drew Dober to extend his winning streak to seven. He called out Tony Ferguson, but with Ferguson uninterested, he has pivoted his attention to a rebooking with dos Anjos.

While dos Anjos has his mind on higher-ranked opponents, he’s willing to face Makhachev under one condition: If he beats him, he gets to rematch UFC lightweight champion [autotag]Khabib Nurmagomedov[/autotag].

“If your brother @TeamKhabib fight me after I beat you let’s do it.”

If your brother @TeamKhabib fight me after I beat you let’s do it. https://t.co/V64Dwk4lH7

— Rafael dos Anjos (@RdosAnjosMMA) March 10, 2021

Dos Anjos has recently been campaigning for a rematch with Nurmagomedov. He lost a unanimous decision to “The Eagle” in 2014, but went on to win three straight en route to the lightweight title. The pair never ended up crossing paths again, but with Nurmagomedov’s protege on the rise, dos Anjos hopes a win over Makhachev could lure Nurmagomedov out of retirement.

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Callout Collection: Who UFC 259 winners want next – and how likely they’ll get them

Islam Makhachev and Aleksandar Rakic were among those who name-dropped their preferred next opponents at UFC 259 in Las Vegas.

Earning wins in the UFC is certainly no easy task, but what comes next is often even more important: the post-fight callout.

So, after Saturday’s UFC 259 event in Las Vegas, who took advantage of their time on the mic?

See below for this week’s Callout Collection – and just how realistic each one is.

UFC 259 results: Islam Makhachev crushes Drew Dober with third-round arm-triangle

Islam Makhachev continued his rise up the lightweight division with a vintage performance.

[autotag]Islam Makhachev[/autotag] is off to a great start in 2021.

The rising UFC lightweight contender put on a clinic Saturday night, outclassing Drew Dober at Saturday’s UFC 259 pay-per-view event in Las Vegas. Makhachev (19-1 MMA, 8-1 UFC) out-grappled Dober (23-10 MMA, 9-6 UFC) for two rounds to then submit him at the 1:37 mark of Round 3 with an arm-triangle choke.

The lightweight bout was part of the UFC 259 main card at the UFC Apex. It aired on pay-per-view following prelims on ESPN and early prelims on ESPN+.

It was a vintage performance from Makhachev.

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The 29-year-old took down Dober seconds into every round and completely dominated the action, constantly looking for submissions and setting Dober in survival mode. It wasn’t until the third round and several submission attempts later that Makhachev sunk in an arm-triangle from half guard that forced Dober to tap out.

Makhachev, a close friend and teammate of retired UFC star Khabib Nurmagomedov, is regarded as one of the most promising rising contenders in the lightweight division.

The 29-year-old is on a six-fight wining streak since suffering his only professional defeat back in 2015. Makhachev hadn’t competed since September 2019 due to several canceled bouts and the pandemic, which halted UFC operations for a few months.

Up-to-the-minute UFC 259 results include:

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UFC 259: Islam Makhachev vs. Drew Dober odds, picks and prediction

Previewing Saturday’s UFC 259 fight between Islam Makhachev and Drew Dober, with MMA odds, picks, tips and predictions.

In a lightweight bout on Saturday’s main card, Islam Makhachev and Drew Dober meet at UFC 259 at the UFC’s APEX Facility in Las Vegas. The early prelims kick off at 6 p.m. ET on ESPN+, followed by the prelims on ESPN/ESPN+ at 8 p.m. and then the main card on pay-per-view at 10 p.m. Below, we analyze the UFC 259 odds and lines, with picks and predictions.

UFC 259 Makhachev vs. Dober: Odds, spread and lines

Odds via BetMGM; access USA TODAY Sports’ betting odds for a full list. Lines last updated at 8:20 a.m. ET.

Fight result (2-way line): Makhachev -450 (bet $450 to win $100) | Dober +333 (bet $100 to win $333)
Over/Under: 2.5 rounds (Over -155 | Under +130)
Will the fight go the distance? (Yes -140 | No +115)

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UFC 259 Makhachev vs. Dober: Odds, lines, predictions and picks

Records: Makhachev 18-1 | Dober 23-9

Fight result (2-way line or money line)

Makhachev (-450) has picked up unanimous-decision wins in his previous two outings, including a win over Davi Ramos at UFC 242 Sept. 7, 2019. He was to return in Nov. 2020 but was forced to pull out of the main event on that fight night card due to a staph infection. Between the rust of a long layoff, and the fact he has gone the distance in four of his past six events, he is a risky play.

DOBER (+333) has three straight KO/TKO wins, although none have been against the quality of opponent like Makhachev. Still, playing DOBER BY KO/TKO OR DQ (+500) is too tempting to pass at. He is super aggressive, and will try to fire out of the chute and end Makhachev’s night early while the favorite tries to get his sea legs. If Dober doesn’t get the early finish, this bet gets less attractive as the clock continues to tick. Still, it’s worth a roll of the dice.

Makhachev is a heavy favorite that will cost you four-and-a-half times your potential return, which just isn’t a good bet over the long haul. Plus, he is fighting an aggressive fighter in Dober, who is the much better value bet on the 2-way line.

Play our new free daily Pick’em Challenge and win! Play now!

Over/Under (O/U)

As mentioned above, Makhachev has had four of his past six fights decided by the judges. However, the southpaw Dober has had four consecutive stoppages, including three straight KO/TKO wins since his submission loss to Beneil Dariush March 9, 2019. UNDER 2.5 ROUNDS (+130) is worth playing, or YES (-140) ON ‘WILL THE FIGHT GO THE DISTANCE?’ gives you 90 more seconds of wiggle room.

To watch the early prelims and prelims, sign up for ESPN+ now.

Want some action on UFC 259? Place a bet at BetMGM now. For more sports betting picks and tips, visit SportsbookWire.com. Please gamble responsibly.

MMA Junkie:

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Gannett may earn revenue from audience referrals to betting services. Newsrooms are independent of this relationship and there is no influence on news coverage. This information is for entertainment purposes only. We make no representations or warranties as to the accuracy, completeness, or reliability of any content.

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UFC 259 predictions: Who are we picking in the three title fights?

Check out our staff members’ picks for the UFC 259 main card, which features three title fights.

	Blachowicz vs. Adesanya	Nunes vs. Anderson	Yan vs. Sterling	Dober vs. Makhachev	Rakic vs. Santos
MMA Junkie readers’ consensus picks 2021: 18-15	Blachowicz (52%)	Nunes (84%)	Yan (57%)	Makhachev (74%)	Santos (58%)
Dan Tom @DanTomMMA 2021: 21-12 2020 Champion	Adesanya	Nunes	Sterling	Makhachev	Rakic
Danny Segura @dannyseguratv 2021: 21-12	Blachowicz	Nunes	Yan	Makhachev	Santos
George Garcia @MMAjunkieGeorge 2021: 20-13	Adesanya	Nunes	Sterling	Makhachev	Santos
Ken Hathaway @kenshathaway 2021: 19-14 2018 Champion	Blachowicz	Nunes	Sterling	Makhachev	Rakic
John Morgan @MMAjunkieJohn 2021: 19-14	Adesanya	Nunes	Sterling	Makhachev	Rakic
Simon Samano @SJSamano 2021: 18-15	Blachowicz	Nunes	Sterling	Makhachev	Santos
Brian Garcia @thegoze 2021: 18-15 2017 Champion	Blachowicz	Nunes	Sterling	Makhachev	Rakic
Farah Hannoun @Farah_Hannoun 2021: 17-16	Adesanya	Nunes	Yan	Makhachev	Rakic
Abbey Subhan @kammakaze 2021: 17-16	Blachowicz	Nunes	Sterling	Makhachev	Santos
Simon Head @simonhead 2021: 17-16 2019 Champion*	Adesanya	Nunes	Yan	Makhachev	Rakic
Mike Bohn @MikeBohnMMA 2021: 17-16 2014 Champion	Adesanya	Nunes	Sterling	Makhachev	Santos
Matt Erickson @MMAjunkieMatt 2021: 16-17	Adesanya	Nunes	Yan	Makhachev	Santos
Nolan King @mma_kings 2021: 15-18	Blachowicz	Nunes	Yan	Makhachev	Rakic

The UFC one of its biggest events in recent memory this week with three title fights atop the bill.

UFC 259 takes place Saturday at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas. The main card airs on pay-per-view following prelims on ESPN and early prelims on ESPN+.

(Click here to open a PDF of the staff picks grid in a separate window.)

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In the main event, [autotag]Jan Blachowicz[/autotag] (27-8 MMA, 10-5 UFC) puts his light heavyweight title on the line against middleweight champion [autotag]Israel Adesanya[/autotag] (20-0 MMA, 9-0 UFC), who will attempt to become the UFC’s latest two-division champ. Despite moving up a weight class, the unbeaten Adesanya is a -250 favorite at BetMGM, but he’s only got the slimmest possible 7-6 lead from our 13 editors, writers, videographers and radio hosts.

In the co-feature, women’s bantamweight and featherweight champ [autotag]Amanda Nunes[/autotag] (20-4 MMA, 13-1 UFC) puts her 145-pound title up against challenger [autotag]Megan Anderson[/autotag] (10-4 MMA, 3-2 UFC). Nunes is a massive 10-1 favorite, so a win for Anderson would be one of the biggest upsets in UFC history. Not surprisingly, Nunes is one of two unanimous picks on the main card.

It’s a close fight from a betting perspective between bantamweight champ [autotag]Petr Yan[/autotag] (15-1 MMA, 7-0 UFC) and challenger [autotag]Aljamain Sterling[/autotag] (19-3 MMA, 11-3 UFC). The fight nearly is a pick’em with Yan at -115 and Sterling at -105. But our pickers are siding with Sterling, 8-5, to become the new champ.

The second biggest favorite on the entire card is lightweight [autotag]Islam Makhachev[/autotag] (18-1 MMA, 7-1 UFC), who is -375 against [autotag]Drew Dober[/autotag] (23-9 MMA, 9-5 UFC). Makhachev also is a 13-0 unanimous pick from our staff members.

And to open the main card, [autotag]Aleksandar Rakic[/autotag] (13-2 MMA, 5-1 UFC) is a -160 favorite against [autotag]Thiago Santos[/autotag] (21-8 MMA, 13-7 UFC) at light heayweight, but he’s got a narrow 7-6 picks lead.

In the MMA Junkie reader consensus picks, Blachowicz (52 percent), Nunes (84 percent), Yan (57 percent), Makhachev (74 percent) and Santos (58 percent) are the choices.

Check out all the picks above.

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