Islam Makhachev had to overcome all the trials and tribulations to become the number one pound-for-pound fighter in the Ultimate Fighting Championship.
Makhachev (25-1) hails from Makhachkala, Dagestan, a region where becoming a UFC champion is now the most common dream for kids, and which has also managed to produce a number of highly accomplished fighters who have established themselves in every major mixed martial arts organization around the world.
But mixed martial arts has always been part of Dagestan culture, a rise that culminated when Makhachev’s teammate Khabib Nurmagomedov was crowned UFC champion in 2018. Nurmagomedov’s father, Abdulmanap Nurmagomedov, is considered a pioneer of the sport on Russian territory and is credited with the rapid growth of mixed martial arts in the region by producing champions like his son and Makhachev.
Abdulmanap has developed a world-class athlete in the harsh conditions of the mountains of Dagestan and without the best training facilities. Makhachev recently spoke about his early struggles training under Nurmagomedov’s tutelage. The UFC lightweight champion revealed that he used to share mouthpieces during fights, sometimes with as many as 10 teammates. They would clean the mouthpieces in boiling water, not to disinfect them, but to slightly alter the shape of the mouthpiece for the next fighter.
“Before, we didn’t have mouthpieces,” Makhachev said during a recent appearance on “The Weighing In” podcast. “When you go to a match, you can only have one mouthpiece. I swear to God, I remember one match, about 10 people, and there was only one mouthpiece. The rules say you can’t go to a match without a mouthpiece. You clean it in hot water, and everybody has a mouthpiece. [use]…Putting hot water in [the shape] No, try changing it up a bit.”
ORDER NOW! UFC 302: Makhachev vs. Poirier, Saturday at 10 PM ET on ESPN+ Khabib retired from the sport as UFC lightweight champion with an unbeaten 29-0 record following the passing of his father in 2020. Sticking closely to Nurmagomedov’s father’s game plan, Makhachev took over the title in 2022 by dethroning Charles Oliveira. Makhachev has since defended the title twice against former featherweight champion Alexander Volkanovski. Makhachev is currently scheduled to defend his title against Dustin Poirier (30-8) in the main event of UFC 302 on June 1 at the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey.
Source link
