Saturday’s UFC 259 is the deepest card for years, with twelve bouts that have rankings potential. It’s headed by three title fights. Thus, it might be easy to miss lightweight Islam Makhachev, who fights Drew Dober on the fourth from final fight of the evening.
Don’t.
Khabib Nurmagomedov is the lightweight GOAT. Daniel Cormier is one of just four Champ Champs in UFC history. Both believe their American Kickboxing Academy teammate Makhachev is destined to rule the deepest division in the league. “The Eagle” and Makhachev were both guided since their early teens by Abdulmanap Nurmagomedov, who passed away in July from heart issues, complicated by COVID-19. “Father’s Plan” includes Makhachev holding the belt now held by Khabib; there is widespread speculation that the current division titleholder is delaying his retirement to give Makhachev time to grow into the champion’s spot.
“Now, everybody talks about Dustin, Conor, Chandler, Justin, Oliveira,” said Nurmagomedov to Marc Raimondi for ESPN. “But by the end of the year, it’s gonna be changed. I don’t think anyone can beat him right now. He will run [the division]. … I really believe his era is on the way.”
Cormier echoed Nurmagomedov’s prediction.
“You could see that this kid was kind of like Khabib, with a little tighter stand-up,” Cormier said. “Today, Khabib will tell you he’ll stand and strike with whoever he wants to… Islam seemed a little more ready to go.”
“Straight wrestling, among all of those guys, Islam is the best one. In straight wrestling, I think he would beat Khabib.”
“You knew as long as Khabib was the champion, Islam was going to take a slower approach to moving up the rankings. But now, Khabib and I talked about it, everybody believes that Islam can be the man. Now, with Khabib [retired], I believe now [Islam] starts to make his ascent.”
“For 10 straight years, we’ve had title fights out of AKA. How do we continue that? Islam is the guy. We all believe right now Islam is our next best chance to have someone great.”
What do you think UG, will Makhachev be champ, and if so, how soon?
