Did Islam Makhachev ever get caught for doping? Find out his 2016 scare and other interesting facts about him before UFC 280.
UFC 280 Charles Oliveira vs Islam Makhachev is shaping up to be the PPV of the year. The two top ranking fighters are on their way to a collision course that will frame the UFC lightweight division. So, we thought we should look into some interesting facts about the fighters and for this one, we are looking at Islam Makhachev. Let’s spar:
ALSO READ: UFC 280 – Date, Time, Fight Card, Live Stream, Broadcast Channel and Where to Buy Tickets!
Islam Makhachev: Dagestani Sporting Legend in the Making
1) A Classic Sports Champ’s Origins
Islam Rozanovich Makhachev was born in Makhachkala and was raised in a remote Dagestani village called Burshi. Makhachkala has a very dynamic combat sports culture with combat Sambo being the most popular.
Burshi village is really impoverished and Makhachev was picked on in his early childhood because the village kids thought city kids were weak. His father, a modest farmer in Burshi, got him into combat sports at an early age and Makhachev expressed the desire to be a world champion.
Apparently, he was made fun of by the village kids for his ambition too. But as they say, pressure makes diamonds.
2) Joining Khabib Nurmagomedov’s Father’s Gym
Makhachev moved to Makhachkala at an early age for education. He was keen on combat sports and his aptitude for it got into a famous gym run by Khabib Nurmagomedov’s late father Abdulmanap Nurmagomedov.
He was also friends with ‘The Eagle’s’ cousin Abubakar Nurmagomedov, so the move to the famous gym was obvious. Working out at the gym exposed him to the top pedigree of Dagestan future combat leaders.
In particular, he benefited from learning under Adbulmanap Nurmagomedov who made several prophetic statements about Makhachev’s future in combat sports.
He said he was destined to be a world champion and was the only fighter in the gym of Khabib Nurmagomedov’s caliber. In fact, the story goes that ‘The Eagle’ only lost sparring rounds against Makhachev and no one else ever came close.
3) Training and Pre-MMA Career
Islam Makhachev has trained in a world of martial arts styles including Wushu, Judo, wrestling and others. He put his skills to the test in combat Sambo tournaments and won many accolades as well.
These include wins at the Federal International Championships, Combat Sambo Federal of Russia championship, and the All-Time Russian National Championship. He holds the rank of International Master of Sport in Combat Sambo.
In fact, Makhachev continued to compete in Sambo even after making his MMA debut in 2010 for six years. He competed in his last Sambo match in 2016 before moving fully into MMA.
During his time competing in MMA before entering the UFC, Makhachev got a stellar undefeated 11-win record with all of them going to him by unanimous decision.
4) Makhachev’s Only UFC Loss
So far, Makhachev has made a near-flawless run up to UFC lightweight contention. His only loss came from Adriano Martins, a well-accomplished Jiu-Jitsu practitioner. However, Martins has failed to win any fights after his win over Makhachev and made an exit from the UFC after two losses following the Makhachev win.
With that said, Charles Oliveira is an all-time submissions record holder and this might be the chink in Makhachev’s armor. While his loss to Martins came by TKO, it was still Martins’ ability to shrug off Makhachev’s takedowns that made the difference. Food for thought for everyone waiting for UFC 280.
5) A Doping Flag Scare
Islam Makhachev tested positive for a banned substance called Meldonium after the Martins fight. A lot of Russian regional sports athletes have tested positive for this substance. It was banned in 2016 right around the time Makhachev was moving on to his next fight from Martins.
According to Makhachev, he took Meldonium in late 2015 for 4 weeks to deal with a heart problem. This was before the substance was banned and so the doping agencies cleared him for competition after a thorough inquiry.
6) Makhachev’s Many Interests
Aside from his interests in MMA and combat sports, Makhachev enjoys Motocross and equestrian hobbies. He is also an avid gamer although he plays only one game – PUBG.
Aside from that, Makhachev has donated extensively to charity, particularly in Burshi. He also donates to children’s hospitals in the Middle East, most notably in Dubai.
Are you stoked for the fight weekend? Discover more details about the UFC 280 headliner between Charles Oliveira vs Islam Makhachev.
