It is no secret that Islam
Makhachev has been tabbed as the heir apparent to Khabib
Nurmagomedov in the UFC’s lightweight division.
Makhachev lived up to that billing yet again on Saturday, as he
cruised to fourth-round submission victory against Thiago
Moises in the
UFC on ESPN 26 main event at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas. The
Dagestani has won eight consecutive fights at 155 pounds, one of
just six fighters in the division’s history to do so. One of those
men, Nurmagomedov, was in Makhachev’s corner.
“When you have by your side a champion, he knows everything
everywhere, what I have to do, what I have to say, how I have to
move… When Khabib is in my corner, I feel more powerful,” Makhachev
said.
Comparisons to Nurmagomedov as a fighter are lofty enough, but for
Makhachev, his teammate and coach also casts a large shadow because
of the person he is.
“If somebody says I’m almost the same as Khabib, I agree with
this,” Makhachev said. “I want to be like Khabib, you know. He’s a
great man, he’s champion, he has a lot of money and he has
everything, but he’s still a humble guy.
“He’s coming to U.S. without his family. He stays here one, two
months to help us. He doesn’t take money, nothing. He just comes
and does the whole thing. We came to U.S. and he rent big house for
team and a lot of cars for team and nobody pay. He pay for
everything. I cannot explain Khabib. He does a lot of stuff, but
nobody knows this.”
As far his next step, Makhachev would prefer to handle some of
Nurmagomedov’s unfinished business. For years, Nurmagomedov vs.
Tony
Ferguson was the fight everyone wanted to see in the
lightweight division, but it was also the most cursed fight in the
sport. On five different occasions the bout was booked and for
various reasons, it was canceled each time.
Now, Makhachev would like to add some closure to the rivalry on
behalf of Nurmagomedov.
“If they were to give me a choice, let’s do it with Tony because we
have good history with him,” Makhachev said. “Khabib was supposed
to fight with him like five, six times. Let’s finish this, you
know. I’m going to finish this. I’m going to show Tony not Khabib
level. People don’t understand how Khabib pressures. I can’t
explain to you guys, but I think you know everything.”