Islam
Makhachev lived up to the hype at UFC
259.
The American Kickboxing Academy product was suffocating against
fellow lightweight contender Drew Dober,
as he grounded his opponent in all three rounds, advanced position
with ease and found openings for timely ground-and-pound. Makhachev
put the finishing touches on his victory by submitting his
adversary with arm-triangle choke from half guard in Round 3 for
his seventh consecutive UFC triumph.
Dober, who entered the matchup having won six of his last seven
Octagon appearances, never had a chance to be competitive. After
more than a year on the sidelines due to multiple fight
cancellations, Makhachev was happy to return to the win column.
“2020 was a crazy year, all my fights got canceled. That’s why I’m
very happy to be here now and get the finish. I’m very happy,”
Makhachev said.
“The finish is always very important … I tried to finish him in the
first round, but Dober is a very strong guy. He has like crazy
power, that’s why I just tried to make him tired, make him work and
finish him in the third round.”
It’s well documented that Makhachev has received high praise from
AKA stablemates such as UFC lightweight champ Khabib
Nurmagomedov and former two-division king Daniel
Cormier. Many in the 29-year-old Dagestani’s circle expect him
to become 155-pound champion once Nurmagomedov officially vacates
the crown.
“I feel this pressure ,but I’m not an amateur guy,” Makhachev said.
“I have a big amateur career, now I have 19 victories, that’s why I
understand everything. I just have to train hard because people
believe in me.”
After having three fights fall through in 2020 — two because of
COVID-19, one due to injury — Makhachev has plans for a much more
active year.
“2021 I have to fight two more times and in the beginning of 2022,
I have to fight for the title,” he said.
Makhachev has a very specific opponent in mind for his next Octagon
appearance. For the longest time, Tony
Ferguson vs. Nurmagomedov was the dream fight of the
lightweight division. It was also the most cursed, thanks to five
cancellations for various reasons from 2015 to 2020. With
Nurmagomedov currently retired and Ferguson coming off back-to-back
lopsided losses, the world seems to have moved on from the
fight.
But Makhachev would gladly step in for his training partner and
provide some closure to the rivalry.
“My dream fight is Tony
Ferguson. That’s my dream fight,” Makhachev said. “I just want
to make him retire. He talks too much. Khabib is retired, now he
keeps pressuring him, for what? I’m here, I have a seven-fight win
streak, make this happen.”