The fight between Makhachev and Volkanovski was a highly anticipated matchup between two of the UFC’s most promising fighters. Makhachev who entered the fight with a record of 23-1 was seen as the most dominant force in the lightweight division, while Volkanovski had recently moved up to lightweight after a successful run in the featherweight division.
The fight was a back-and-forth, with both fighters landing significant strikes and grappling exchanges throughout the bout. In the end it was Makhachev who ended up been victorious, winning by unanimous decision after five hard-fought rounds.
Despite Makhachev’s impressive performance Nurmagomedov’s coach Javier Mendez recently revealed that former UFC lightweight champion Khabib Nurmagomedov was concerned for Islam Makhachev in his fight against Alexander Volkanovski. Nurmagomedov, who is known for his close relationship with Makhachev, expressed his worries about the fight to Mendez.
Coach Mendez’s Concerns
Mendez, said that Nurmagomedov would call him up and express his concerns about Makhachev facing Volkanovski, who is known for his toughness and fighting skills. However, Mendez was confident that Makhachev would win the fight, and reassured Nurmagomedov that they were prepared for a tough fight.
Khabib would call me up and would say, ‘Coach I’m really worried about this fight, Volkanovski is really tough, I’m concerned for Islam a little bit on this one’. I was like, ‘I’m not, we’re gonna win this fight. I don’t know how easy or how hard, but we’re gonna win this fight. So, I know you’re worried Khabib, but I’m not worried.’ And he goes, ‘I know, I know, coach, but we know this is a tough fight, we have to prepare for a tough fight’. I go, ‘Yeah, that’s true, but I still feel like we’re gonna win.’ Fast forward to the fight, it was everything Khabib Nurmagomedov said that would happen in the fight, and it was a super tough fight.
This fight was an important milestone in Makhachev’s career, as it demonstrated his ability to face tough challenges and emerge victorious. We’re hoping for a rematch soon, even tho Alexander Volkanovski seems to have different plans at the moment. Read more about it here: Alexander Volkanovski Chooses Action Over Rematch with Islam Makhachev