Anyone else impressed with Islam Makhachev?

[guard_passer]

yeah Islam is radical

 

[fortheo]

Islam is 14-1(3-1 in the UFC). He suffered a knockout loss to Martins but since then has rebounded quite impressively. His fight with Chris Wade was a great chess match. His grappling ability really shined in that fight because he just wouldn't accept an unfavorable position.

His performance against Nik Lentz was also excellent. Completely outgrappling and dominating Lentz is a big deal IMO.

I believe Islam is a guy that has potential to be a serious contender at lightweight.

I'm very, very high on Islam and I think he has potential to be even better than his mentor Khabib. Not only did he completely outgrapple Lentz, which is a very big deal, but he also looked better on the feet than we'd ever seen him look before, particularly with kicks. I'd love to see him take another step up in competition now.

 

[fortheo]

I think he's by far one of the best grapplers at that weight class. A mini Khabib. He's got to improve his striking and striking defense though, if he can add that element to his game, he'll be really good.

Did you watch his fight against Lentz? his striking already looked better than the striking of Khabib and Rustam who have both already climbed the LW ranks with only the basics of striking.

 

[fortheo]

To be honest, he seems like a decent prospect at 155lbs he's only 25 but I have not been by any means impressed, he didn't look great vs low level guys like Nik Lentz and Chris Wade and he was knocked out by Adriano Martins who's not a top 20 Lightweight but a good fighter. I think there are much better Kavkaz prospects the UFC has recently signed like Zabit and Bibulatov, I also think guys like Rashid Magomedov, Rustam Khabilov and Mairbek Taisumov are much better Lightweights as it is in the UFC. ( Mairbek Taisumov needs respect, Pettis ducked him).

Lentz and Wade are actually really fucking good grapplers, though, and Islam beat them both at their own strengths. The islam vs. lentz fight in particular was a really good performance if you ask me—islam outstruck him with ease, and outgrappled him. He was in complete control the whole time no matter where the fight went.

As for comparing him to other fighters from that region, Mairbek already lost to a good grappler, and he'd probably lose to another one like Islam. Rashid is an amazing striker with great TDD and lots of experience, so I'd give him the edge over Islam for now, but that may change in a year. Rustam is pretty much the same fighter as Islam, but I think Islam has better cardio and striking.

 

[SalvadorAllende]

He is Khabib twin.

Amazing grappling but his striking is sloppy as fuck.

I love those kind of guys. Damn.. throw Rustam Khabilov in there too. Suplex that shit.

 

[ilfirin]

I think he's by far one of the best grapplers at that weight class. A mini Khabib. He's got to improve his striking and striking defense though, if he can add that element to his game, he'll be really good.

Nice summary. His grappling is exquisite.

 

[Readybodisready]

Islam can be brutal in the octagon, he really forces his ways upon people.

 

[Zach The Maniac]

Islam will conquer the UFC in due time.

I see what you did there.

 

[Zach The Maniac]

First Islam is in schools taking over and Now its taking over the lightweight division??? What will we do.

 

[SalvadorAllende]

Did you watch his fight against Lentz? his striking already looked better than the striking of Khabib and Rustam who have both already climbed the LW ranks with only the basics of striking.

To be fair.. Lentz striking sucks and he is small for 145. Still the trips, takedowns and ground control was on point for Mak in that fight. Lentz had nothing on him.

The Martins fight was hard for Islam but it was a good lesson. I think he will be top 10 in no time.

I hope they book him soon against a bigger, better fighter.

 

[Pakman]

Did you watch his fight against Lentz? his striking already looked better than the striking of Khabib and Rustam who have both already climbed the LW ranks with only the basics of striking.

That doesn't mean its amazing, or even very good for that matter. It works and has worked for now, but, eventually, someone will be able to stop the TD's, he's going to need to learn how to be better on the feet. I think if he improves it (at the rate that he has) with each fight, within the next 2 years, he'll have what it takes to be a champion.

 

[fortheo]

To be fair.. Lentz striking sucks and he is small for 145. Still the trips, takedowns and ground control was on point for Mak in that fight. Lentz had nothing on him.

The Martins fight was hard for Islam but it was a good lesson. I think he will be top 10 in no time.

I hope they book him soon against a bigger, better fighter.

I know. I still think Islam has shown a lot of growth in his striking, though.


Did anyone else like the fact that he came out southpaw in his last fight? He, like Rockhold and many others, are orthodox but like to stand southpaw for the advantage it gives him in wrestling (amongst other advantages). His striking game in particular is starting to look similar to rockholds with his kicks and the fact that he's constantly looking for check hooks:

Long story short, I think some people are being a bit too harsh on his striking. Obviously he still needs a lot of work, but I honestly think his striking is coming along better than his brothers, Khabib and Rustam.

 

[fortheo]

That doesn't mean its amazing, or even very good for that matter. It works and has worked for now, but, eventually, someone will be able to stop the TD's, he's going to need to learn how to be better on the feet. I think if he improves it (at the rate that he has) with each fight, within the next 2 years, he'll have what it takes to be a champion.

When did I say his striking was amazing? and since when did you need amazing striking to be a champion? I'm just saying that his striking is coming along just fine. Of course he still needs work, though.

 

[dontlaugh]

Very good fighter. but just like most Sambo dudes he throws some punches that make me go "eww wtf". They rush forward like a bull while throwing overhands and telephone punches, it's so weird, just punch properly.

 

[Fight Professor]

I would have been impressed if his nickname was "Screw".

 

[Pakman]

When did I say his striking was amazing? and since when did you need amazing striking to be a champion? I'm just saying that his striking is coming along just fine. Of course he still needs work, though.

So basically, you agree with the rest of us who posted that his grappling is awesome but he needs to work on his striking to become elite....but somehow, you're arguing about us with it?

What the hell? Is this some new sort of trolling? Where you argue with the people you agree with?

And by asking if "i watched the Lentz fight, his striking looked better" is insinuating that he was much better than what I said he was, which was decent. I never said he sucked...just that it needed to be improved.

Stop arguing just to have an argument dude.

 

[Wadtucket]

I love Islam
Alhamdulillah

 

[GMAN144]

Is this the guy that called out mayweather lol. I bet he would beat him too.

 

[fortheo]

So basically, you agree with the rest of us who posted that his grappling is awesome but he needs to work on his striking to become elite....but somehow, you're arguing about us with it?

What the hell? Is this some new sort of trolling? Where you argue with the people you agree with?

And by asking if "i watched the Lentz fight, his striking looked better" is insinuating that he was much better than what I said he was, which was decent. I never said he sucked...just that it needed to be improved.

Stop arguing just to have an argument dude.

I pointed it out because the vast majority of people here seemed to be talking about it as if he hasn't already improved his striking some. I merely quoted yours to ask you if you had seen the Lentz fight because it was the most recent of his fights, so I was wondering if you had or have not seen the improvements—I wanted to know if we were both forming our opinions off of the most recent showing from Islam, which seemed to be already improved. Does he still need to improve? yes, but who the fuck doesn't?

Also, relax.

 

[VVarhead]

He is an exceptional fighter and grappler, but really needs to get his striking to another level.
Guys like Taisumov in the same division would outstrike him and are able keep the fight standing, I think.