This Islam Makhachev will become the UFC champion, the Nurmagomedov family was talking about even before Khabib became the champion. But Islam really had no luck with its rivals for a long time: the strong refused to fight it, the weak lost too desperately. Nevertheless, Makhachev (23 wins, 1 loss) reached the title and won it exactly two years after Khabib himself announced his retirement. Nurmagomedov was in Makhachev’s corner, reacted very emotionally to the second-round choke win, and a minute later clung to the net to see what was happening near the octagon. There Khabib’s brother Abubakar got into a fight with Khamzat Chimaev and the UFC guards and senior comrades of the two fighters had to put that conflict out.
Makhachev set a crazy record – an hour after the fight he never heard of this fight.
“I’ve been telling all the media all week that I have a plan to stop him. That he won’t be able to pressure me like his opponents, because I have a fight,” Islam said during from a press conference. – When I first translated him, I realized that he has good skills, but I can control him at any time. He was a few cubits away, but that’s not was no surprise, I controlled it, I tired it, as I had promised before.
– Was there still respect for Oliveira?
– Yes, I respect him, because he’s a badass, he went through a difficult period, a life that was not very simple. I respected each of his team for the whole last week, but I said all the time in all the media what my plan would be, and I followed it: transfer, maintenance and victory by reception.
– Someone spoke about your fight with Alex Volkanovski (champion of the category up to 65.8 kg. – “”), who could replace you in your fight today.
– Now I have a new goal – to become #1 in p4p ranking. So I’m ready to fly to Australia and beat this guy. We have a great team no matter where we fight. It’s fine for us if there’s a trip to Australia, we can fight in Australia, no problem. Before the Oliveira fight was announced, Khabib told me that we could go to Brazil. Khabib sent a message to Dana saying that we would also be ready to fight in Brazil. We can show this message to people.
– Did you hear about a fight between Khamzat Chimaev and members of your team?
– What fight?
— Between Khamzat and Abubakar.
“No, I haven’t heard anything about it.
– Who called you first after the fight?
– I called myself at home, I asked for a phone to call my mother and father. They did not give me a phone in my hands for about an hour, while there was communication with the media.
What did Khabib say?
– Khabib congratulated me in the cage, said we were here for a reason.
“And what did mom say?”
– She sent me last week how she cooks pies, and I said, “Cook, I’ll come soon.”
– Abdulmanap Nurmagomedov contributed greatly to your victory today. What do you think he would say?
– First, there would be a precise analysis of my errors. So I think he would be proud of me, because all my life I obeyed him. I did everything as he said, everywhere I played. He would be happy that I could take the belt away from such a worthy opponent.
– With what in your sports career could you compare the feelings you are currently experiencing?
– I thought for a long time that I was ripe for a championship fight and all my professional career I had the same problems: I couldn’t fight with any of the tops, they constantly found excuses. I won’t say they were afraid of me, but I couldn’t fight them. And now they also said that Islam has not beaten any of the peaks. In any case, there were people who wondered whether Islam was deserved or not. But today everyone saw my level, and I showed that I could stop anyone.
– Have you really not heard of the fight between Abubakar Nurmagomedov and Khamzat Chimaev?
– No, I went to the locker room a minute ago, washed my face, put on a T-shirt and came here. Gave so many interviews. I haven’t heard anything about it.
– Do you plan to move to the next weight class?
– I would like to defend the belt in this weight several times and then we will see. I might go up a category, it would be good for my legacy.
– According to you, who is the most dangerous opponent for you at the moment?
– I watched the Beneil Dariush fight today. He showed a good fight, but my whole professional career I asked to give me someone from the top so I could fight him. They didn’t want to fight me. I’m glad this issue is resolved for me.
– How do you see your potential welterweight fights with opponents as tall as Shavkat Rakhmonov or Khamzat Chimaev (each 187cm – ), can their dimensions become an issue?
– I like to compete, if I dominate my weight, then why not give it a try? Going to another weight and losing is not such a terrible event. Like Volkanovski: he killed everyone in his division and wants to try lifting 70.3 kg. If he succeeds, he will go down in history. I would like the same.
– We agree that these rivals are tougher than you have in the division.
“It seems to me that now I have no mere rivals.
– In your opinion, what is happening in Dagestan today? Are there major holidays?
– I don’t have specific plans, but I think there are a lot of people waiting for me there and a lot of people are happy with my victory. I haven’t seen my daughter for a month, I only saw on the video that she is growing up without me, now I can see her.
– John Anik said you spent a million dollars on prep.
– Certainly not that way. If I paid for everything myself, it would be expensive, but here in Dubai, we were completely taken care of: accommodation, transfers. If I had paid for it, maybe that amount would have come out. Before that, two other training camps took place, in Dagestan, in a village on the base, which Abdulmanap began to build. Then there was a rally in Kislovodsk. And then there was a rally in Dubai.
– Khabib read something from the Koran before entering the octagon. What do you say to yourself when you enter?
– I also always ask the Almighty to grant me victory… He always gives me more than I ask.
– Is it important for you to earn some money in your career: a million dollars, five million?
– If I say I don’t want to make money, I will be lying. But I have no problem with money, with the financial side. There is everything I want, there are friends who will help me if I need something. I trained all my life to have this belt here, and I’m very happy that all those years of training have come to fruition. That all is not in vain.
– Can you describe how you saw the moment with the reception and the hit before that?
– I had no doubts that I could finish him on the ground, but I was sure that I could hit him from a standing position. I have very good hitting technique coaches: Javier Mendez and Muhammad Bogatov. And even in the locker room, Muhammad told me that the side will pass, because Oliveira always walks straight and keeps his hands in front of him. Nothing could surprise me.
– Did Vladimir Putin call with congratulations?
– No, but for now I took the phone to call my parents and that’s it.
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Source : MatchTV
I am Sandra Jackson, a journalist and content creator with extensive experience in the news industry. I have been working in the news media for over five years. During this time, I have worked as an author and editor at various outlets producing high-quality content that attracts readers from different demographics.
