UFC signee medals in BOTH Freestyle and Greco at worlds
At the 2015 World Wrestling Championships, UFC signee Russian heavyweight Bilyal Makhov became the first person in 42 years to medal in BOTH fs and Greco.
The UFC has signed heavyweight Bilyal Makhov. At the 2015 World Wrestling Championships, Makhov, 27, became the first person in 42 years to medal in BOTH fs and Greco.
The 6-foot-5, 285-pounder from Dagestan, who is a three-time world champion in freestyle, earned bronze in both Freestyle and Greco. It was his second Greco bronze medal at the world championships.
Mahkov is expected to do just one at the 2016 Olympics in Brazil, but has not said which sport he will choose. After that, he is expected to start training in earnest for his UFC debut.
This stuff kind of happens to me a lot, said Makhov to Matt Erickson and John Morgan for MMAjunkie in Las Vegas through an interpreter. (I’m the) first in the history of Russian wrestling to compete in Greco-Roman and freestyle. And I’m the first to get signed to the UFC with no fights. For me, this is adrenaline – to do something in sports that is unusual and unique.
My approach to this is very, very professional. I’m not doing this for some kind of PR. I’m doing this 100 percent. Anything I do, I think about how to do it and the best approach. I know there are some technical aspects of this game I need to work on. I’m still working on (my striking) with my coach. But it’s just a matter of time. My base is wrestling, and the rest I’m going to work hard to get where it needs to be to get up to the level.
I think I can do it. I’m not just saying that for PR. I actually believe I can do it. I’ve been watching Velasquez and Werdum. I’m following them. I’m watching their fights, how they train, and I’ll do whatever it takes to get to that level in as short a time (as possible).
2015 World Championships
Las Vegas, United States
September 7–12
Medal Count
1. Russia: 4 Gold, 2 Silver, 8 Bronze (14)
2. United States: 4 Gold, 0 Silver, 3 Bronze (7)
3. Turkey: 3 Gold, 1 Silver, 2 Bronze (6)
4. Japan: 3 Gold, 1 Silver, 1 Bronze (5)
5. Azerbaijan: 2 Gold, 3 Silver, 3 Bronze (8)
6. Ukraine: 2 Gold, 1 Silver, 6 Bronze 9)
7. Mongolia: 1 Gold, 3 Silver, 1 Bronze (5)
8. Cuba: 1 Gold, 1 Silver, 0 Bronze (2)
9. Georgia: 1 Gold, 0 Silver, 3 Bronze (4)
10. Germany: 1 Gold, 0 Silver, 1 Bronze (2)
