Former UFC fighter (now playing Bellator) Rustam Khabilov (24 wins, 4 losses) trained with his father Khabib Nurmagomedov and was one of the first new wave Russians to enter the UFC. Khabilov has long held the UFC record for most fights between Russians and was already a promising fighter when young Makhachev came to Abdulmanap. On October 22, Makhachev became the UFC lightweight champion ahead of his former teammate.
– How do you remember Islam during the first trainings?
– He was thin, short, “acted 62 kg.” And it was still difficult for him to race for weight in this category. But he was capable, he immediately began to show results, he fought everyone. Abdulmanap Magomedovich set it up for tournaments, for the Dagestan, Russian, world championships.
– When did you realize he was trained as a fighter?
– When he beat good fighters in M-1, it became clear that he was growing. And physically added. I spoke of him at one point: “As if the hands were not of Islam, but of another person.” They grew big and strong in an instant. And he has the technique. As we saw yesterday, he used sambo techniques.
– He’s five years younger than you – did you fight him like a student?
– At the beginning he was both thin and smaller, we didn’t team up with him. There were different weights, then he already won, and when he started talking to the pros, he started giving a good snub. I even remember one fight, we had 1:1, then he went ahead 2:1, I kind of pushed him to the mat and it came straight to arguments, then we We argued a lot about who had won. But it was hacked at full speed.
Why is it difficult to deal with him?
– Yes, it has everything good: both physics and technology. And stamina. If you sit down at the end of the fight, then it feels good.
– Yesterday it seemed to me that his hands improved a lot and he began to beat faster. And you?
– I noticed that he claps his hands well. We have a coach – Muhammad Bagandov, and I see that Islam has already learned to drop an opponent and respond to him right away. He withdrew, and when he attacked, Islam withdrew – Oliveira fell. It was beautiful. That is to say that he obtained very good results in percussion technique.
And he fought well in the clinch. It seems he is now in almost every aspect the perfect fighter.
– Don’t you think that in this weight no one will be able to fight on equal terms with him anymore?
– Yes, it seems that at 70 kg it will be difficult for anyone with him. Islam is a different level fighter. There are people who have a strong side. So I thought of Oliveira that his position is unrealistic. He thought the only way to win against Islam was through beatings. But Islam knocked out a dangerous opponent in a standing position (Makhachev knocked down Oliveira and then made a reception. – “”).
– Do you agree that in the end the reception turned out because Islam got involved in it, and in such a situation even an experienced jitser can no longer control everything?
Yes, it is 100%. If we look at Oliveira’s previous fights, then when his other fighters got knocked down, like Islam, they were afraid to attack him, they were afraid he would choke him, throw a triangle or something like that that. And Islam – I knew about him that he would attack like a predator and immediately use this moment. Oliveira in such moments is vulnerable, he no longer sees how the attack develops. And Islam strangled him.
– Islam does not deny that it can go in the category up to 77 kg, but journalist Ilya Andreev asked yesterday if it would be a problem for Islam that there are fighters up to 190 cm height ?
– In fact, when it comes to wrestling, growth is not always good. A short person in the stalls is more collected, he is more comfortable. I had experience – I fought with Jon Jones (the former best fighter in the UFC, regardless of weight classes, height – 193 cm – “”). I wouldn’t say it was difficult for me, the score was 1:1 in the fight. And I’ve never fought with such tall people.
In percussion technique, I agree – there you can keep a person at a distance, prevent him from approaching you, as Sean O’Malley did with Peter Yan. This is where arm and leg length can work to your advantage.
– And how did you calculate the points in the fight between Ian and O’Malley?
– I have not seen the fights of this tournament, but it is very interesting to see it again. I would like to study in detail. Pyotr knocked him down a few times, they hacked him into a standing position, then Sean cut him down, but Pyotr had a lot of takedowns, did knockouts. I myself am interested in studying this fight in detail.
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.
