“Islam has not gone smoothly.” Koreshkov and Ismailov review Makhachev fight

Islam Makhachev won the 1st, 2nd and 4th rounds of the fight against Alex Volkanovski. This was enough to defend the belt and swap places with the Australian in the ranking of the best fighters, regardless of weight class. Now Makhachev is No. 1, and Volkanovski has fallen to second. Before the fight, the coefficient of an Australian fighter reached 4, but it seems that Volkanovski fought much better than expected from him. Makhachev came to the press conference with a big bruise (traces from the fifth round) and said at one point: “I don’t want people to think I’m apologizing.”

We asked trainer Ramazan Ismailov and former Bellator welterweight champion Andrey Koreshkov to break up this fight.

How Volkanovski fought

Ismailov: Volkanovski hit Islam well in the first round. He changes his position well, moves his head well. And Islam had to find optimal solutions for this. Makhachev worked on the basis of him. When Volkanovski went to get him, it was easier for him. But when Islam moved forward, itself missed the mark. Volkanovski has a higher level of striking technique than Oliveira and anyone Makhachev has fought so far.

Volkanovski was also surprised that he defended himself from the fight and tried to take himself down. Well fought.

Koreshkov: In Islam’s career, this will probably be the most competitive fight. In the UFC of course. Volkanovski was very surprised, he thought that Islam would be easier with him. It seems to me that Volkanovski won two rounds: the third and the fifth (the same thing happened on the judges’ cards. – “”). Islam fought well, but Volkanovski is a very strong fighter even for 70 kg. Not to mention 66 kg.

It seemed to me that Islam was tired in the fifth round. More tired than Volkanovski. Volkanovski sensed it, started pushing and started doing anything to look better. He did it. He confidently took the fifth round. It has good functionality, it has proven it many times. How many times has he crushed people in five-round fights?

Maybe everything didn’t go well with Islam. Maybe he thought it would be easier to translate it and fight it. But it turned out, on the contrary. And Volkanovski was much better prepared for these difficulties. As if, in principle, Volkanovski was better prepared for what he expected of his opponent. And when the fight suits you, you are always less tired than your opponent.

How Makhachev fought

Ismailov: Makhachev standing surprised that he resisted like that. The speed is good, the timing is good. He worked well when Volkanovski attacked. Somewhere on the sidestep I punched somewhere on the sweater.

I thought at one point that Islam was going to hook him. And he hung it on the second or third round, Alex got a little carried away there. I saw the confidence in Islam, he misfired a lot, but it also looked like Volkanovski could hang Makhachev. Before the fight, I gave 70 to 30 on Makhachev, but I understood that if Volkanovski defended himself from the fight, then it would be very difficult for Islam. The only negative is that Volkanovski with lefties might be unusual to work with. If Islam were right-handed, it would be even more difficult for him.

Koreshkov: If you look at the first round, Islam was very careful there, and Alex took those five minutes before the end. And as soon as Islam hacked him, put him on his knees, hit him on the head with his foot, albeit through the hand, he took the bullet. And it all happened just a minute before the gong. Without this moment, the judges could have given the first round to Alex.

Probably, Islam should have worked more actively, but Volkanovski was faster, he was more lively. Again, when Islam gave heat, it took the moments. And if he gave the initiative, then Volkanovski won the episodes. Only the fifth round turned out to be like nothing else. It looks like Islam hacked itself there and missed a massive blow to the head itself. While there he initiated the exchange.

Makhachev is a technical guy, if we talk about the stand. But, probably, this time he worked on it a lot, because Alex has such anthropometry that it is inconvenient to fight with him. Islam could understand that. And all the same, he threw it, he had enough strength and speed. Well-rested Alex, competently worked under it, did not allow Islam to develop attacks.

What Makhachev could have done better

Ismailov: When Islam had his legs tucked in, he started trying to choke. And I would advise him: “Clap for 10-15 seconds, then try to choke for 10 seconds.” He must have tried to tear his head off, so Volkanovski clung to him, and Islam lay down behind him and simply tried to strangle him. By pushing, they could give Volkanovski a turn. I would give a few blows, then an attempt to choke. But that’s my opinion, he’s the UFC champ, he knows best.

[вопрос Корешкову: На открытых тренировках Махачев очень хорошо бросает ноги в голову. По Оливейре он так же попал хайкиком. Не было мысли, что ему сейчас стоило больше бить ногами? Тем более, что можно было не бояться перевода, потому что в грэпплинге Ислам лучше].

Koreshkov: He gave three or four kicks. Good in the first round. Well met knee several times. Moreover, Volkanovski did not fight, he just pumped, took distance, and Makhachev met him on his knees. Maybe the legs could have been added after the arms, but they had their own plan.

Ismailov: Islam has a good melee. When Volkanovski entered close range, where he seemed comfortable, Islam took the clinch and broke it with his knees. And that’s what you ask [бить ногами в голову], not so easy – you need to select the distance. We don’t know how functionally ready Islam was, maybe the weight race was tough for him, maybe he just didn’t work 100% in that fight. Haikiks require a lot of energy, a lot of strength, and here are five rounds.

What is the size difference

Koreshkov: The advantage in the dimensions affects a lot. But if Volkanovski weighs less than 90 kg in the off-season (although you can’t tell), then that’s a lot. And it’s such a downed, very potent strain. He had enough physical and hard work in his hands, and to fight on an equal footing with Islam. I think physical training is his strong point, it helps him in fights. There are guys who naturally have a good explosion.

Ismailov: I think now Islam might have such a hard fight, because weight reduction was hard. And at 77 kg he will come out, he will have power and he will show himself there twice as well (Makhachev previously said that he could move from the category up to 70 to the weight category up to 77 kg – about “”). Each year, a person receives a greater weight reduction. And we like to eat khinkal … Perhaps at 77 kg it will also show itself better. Khinkal gives a lot of strength, it’s like a drug.

Is revenge necessary?

Ismailov: Everyone would be interested in revenge, but not right away. Because the candidates wait there in all weights, they also do not keep the corn. They each hold title defenses: Dariush against Islam, Rodriguez with Volkanovski. And then the revenge will be good.

But Islam needed this fight to develop as an athlete. Khabib had a tough fight with Gleison Tibau but after that how he started pressing the gas. I think Islam will fight better with Dariush now.