Apart from Khabib Nurmagomedov, if any other Russian MMA fighter dominated the UFC octagon lately, it is Islam Makhachev. Despite becoming the joint-most successful UFC lightweight champion after beating Dustin Poirier at UFC 302, Machachev found himself in the middle of all criticism. While there is no denying that his supreme skills have found him being compared with his former mentor Khabib, his former teammate Daniel Cormier has differing opinions.
While speaking to Xtra MMA, Cormier emphasized that Makhachev has “become a victim of expectation.”The ex-UFC double champion did praise the reigning UFC lightweight champion but added by saying,
“He showed that he can strike with a very dangerous striker and he was able to get a finish when he needed. So, I thought he did well. I thought Dustin did well but I think he falls victim to expectation. He’s not Khabib.”
After defeating Poirier at UFC 302, Makhachev tied the record for most title defenses held by Khabib Nurmagomedov, B.J. Penn, and Benson Henderson. However, putting down the American MMA fighter took him five rounds.
Daniel Cormier Explains Why Islam Makhachev Can’t Replicate Khabib Nurmagomedov
From April 2018 to March 2021, Khabib showed the world what true dominance looked like. Having become the longest-reigning UFC Lightweight Champion ever, the 35-year-old Russian MMA fighter retired undefeated with 29 wins.
Explaining Khabib’s supremacy in combat sports, Cormier said, “Khabib was just so outwardly dominant that you never saw him struggle. So, people think to expect the same thing from Islam and nobody’s Khabib.”
While it is noteworthy that Islam Makhachev has 26 wins and just one loss in his career so far, that single loss rules him out of the comparison with his former mentor, Khabib Nurmagomedov. But he still has the chance to replicate, at least, the longest reign to silence his critics!
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Also Read: Dustin Poirier Demands Rematch with Islam Makhachev After Calling Out Conor McGregor
