[autotag]Arman Tsarukyan[/autotag] has worked his way back to a rematch with [autotag]Islam Makhachev[/autotag], and this time it’s for the UFC lightweight title. [autotag]Javier Mendez[/autotag] is not surprised one bit.
Mendez, leading coach at American Kickboxing Academy and Eagles MMA, had a feeling his student Makhachev would cross paths once again with Tsarukyan after the conclusion of their first bout in Saint Petersburg, Russia, back in 2019.
Makhachev welcomed Tsarukyan to the UFC in what’s safe to say was a very difficult debut. Yet, despite the tough task, the then 22-year-old Tsarukyan gave plenty of work to Makhachev and was able to see out a decision – something few fighters have done in recent years. Even in defeat, the Armenian fighter impressed many.
“I thought, ‘Man, that kid is very good, and he’s just going to get better with time as he continues fighting,'” Mendez told Hablemos MMA in Spanish. “That’s what I thought. Now, this time around, he’s in front of us, and I knew this was going to happen because he was at a good level when he first fought Islam and was very young. He didn’t have the experience.
“He’s going to make us work in this fight, but Islam is pound-for-pound No. 1, so I know he’s going to beat him. I feel very confident in Islam’s style. He’s the best of them all.”
Fast-forward almost six years, and Makhachev and Tsarukyan will run things back in the main event of UFC 311 – which takes place on Jan. 18 in Los Angeles. Mendez knows it’s going to be a tough fight, but contrary to what many are saying in the build up to the rematch, he doesn’t think it’ll be the toughest fight in Makhachev’s title reign.
“I don’t know if he’s the toughest fight,” Mendez explained. “Maybe he is, maybe he’s not. I do think he’s already had the toughest fight, which was against Dustin. Dustin brought the dog.
“If Arman brings the dog as well, Islam will have to bring out the dog in him if needed. Hopefully he doesn’t have to because it’s rough to fight like that. He can beat him in a much easier way, but if it comes down to it, I know Islam can bring out the dog in him, too.”
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For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 311.