UFC champion Makhachev thinks he’s in his prime

Russian UFC lightweight champion Islam Makhachev on , he said he was in his prime and also called himself a fan of his company.

In October, at the UFC 294 tournament in Abu Dhabi, the Russian knocked out Australian Alexander Volkanovski in the first round and defended the lightweight championship belt. After that, Makhachev, 32, topped the UFC rankings in all weight classes, ahead of American heavyweight champion Jon Jones.

— Is 32 the golden age for a UFC fighter?

– You know, no. Everyone has their rush hour. Someone might bury it in the hall, someone might get hurt at the top. For some, peak time is at 29, for others at 33, it varies. My opinion is as follows. There is a person who just plows in the gym and trains hard. He can just bury himself in the hall. Its peak could end here. Before he has time to reach a good level, that’s all.

– Let’s talk about you specifically.

– I think I am in my prime, because my indicators are good, they are increasing. I try not to miss violent blows both in fights and in training. Because each of these shots is postponed and put in your luggage. And your peak depends on it.

– Are you a fan?

– If I may say so, yes. I like what I do. I like to train. I don’t know how much training I’ve done since the fight. If I don’t go to the gym, I work out at home. If I don’t work out, then I have some kind of condition… And if I go to the gym and work out for an hour and a half, or run around the house, swing, I get a sort of energy boost.

— I think you’re a real fan, because going to training with a sore leg is not necessary. No?

— My leg doesn’t hurt too much. I just haven’t started sparring, it’s kind of showing.

You have to be a fan. I don’t know the person who was forced and became champion,” Makhachev told .

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