UFC Hall of Famer Khabib Nurmagomedov and Lightweight champion Islam Makhachev are undeniably two of the most dominant fighters in UFC history. While Nurmagomedov boasts an undefeated record of 29-0, Makhachev faced a loss early in his UFC career, and some argue he narrowly escaped defeat against UFC featherweight champion Alexander Volkanovski. Although opinions differ on whether ‘The Great’ won that fight, it’s clear he found a way to overcome the formidable Dagestani. In a recent video on his YouTube Channel, Alexander Volkanovski shared his blueprint for success against Khabib Nurmagomedov and Islam Makhachev.
The UFC featherweight champion lost against Makhachev at UFC 284 in February 2023, falling via unanimous decision. However, the contest was not as straightforward as the decision suggests, and Volkanovski stands out as one of the few fighters to truly challenge the dominant lightweight champion. As talks of a potential rematch persists, he shared insights on strategies to overcome the Sambo fighting styles of the two formidable Dagestani fighters.
Alexander Volkanovski revealed how to succeed against Khabib Nurmagomedov and Islam Makhachev
Islam Makhachev is preparing for a rematch against Charles Oliveira which is set to take place on October 21st in Abu Dhabi, headlining the UFC 294 main event. Prior to this highly anticipated bout, Volkanovski released a video, weighing in on the debate of who is the best grappler between the two lightweight fighters.
In that video, the Australian fighter shared a blueprint for dealing with Dagestani fighters. He said:
“Guys like you know Islam [Makhachev], Khabib [Nurmagomedov]. These Dagestani guys they’re all about taking people down and… You wanna build up and they’re going to make things hard. You will need to get to a knee. They’re going to take that away from you. They’re going to shove that leg so you can’t get to the knee. You know, there’s just little things like that. That they’re always trying to make things so hard for you to build up.” (2:27 to 2:48)
Volkanovski shared insights into the Khabib Nurmagomedov and Makhachev’s mastery of takedowns and grappling, thanks to their Sambo fighting style. Clearly, few have come close to defeating these formidable competitors.
‘The Great‘ also provided an overview of how to succeed against such opponents. He did this all while mentally preparing himself for another potential battle against the UFC lightweight champion.
Chances of a Volkanovski vs. Makhachev II Fight
The first fight between the Aussie and the Russian-based fighter ended with a controversial decision. A section of the MMA community felt that Volkanovski did enough to win the lightweight title. Thus, everyone wanted to see them clash once again. However, the both the featherweight and lightweight divisions had to move on.
But there are still chances for a rematch in the future as Dana White revealed that he was open to the rematch. Moreover, Volkanovski himself during his appearance on the ‘IMPAULSIVE‘ podcast about three months ago revealed his wishes and plans for the rematch. He said:
“Obviously it sucks, but I’ll get the rematch, I’ll win, and then we’ll make a bigger fight and a bigger ending to that story anyway.“
After dissecting the Dagestani fighter’s style, the Australian fighter shared his blueprint for success. Yet, it remains to unclear whether he can translate his fighting IQ into a successful rematch performance.
