Anyone else impressed with Islam Makhachev?

[Readybodisready]

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

The UFC needs to remove islam.

 

[SalvadorAllende]

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.

He needs to do better than this!

 

[MMonk]

No.
I enjoyed him getting KO'd.

 

[BjPenn2017]

Makhachaev is one of the best wrestlers in the division imo. He's outgrappled 2 really good wrestlers in wade and lentz, I don't see many guys being able to stop him once he gets his hands on them. His striking also looked improved last time out but he's still got a ways to go. He's young, definitely see him in the title picture in a couple years or so.

 

[Joseephii]

Islam has much better striking than Khabib and Khabilov. Wtf are you guys even watching? His standup looks like Rockhold`s. Lee vs Makachev would be a good fight, that American bum needs to be thrown on his head by a muslim.

 

[Gangstub]

Who the fook is this Khabib clone?

 

[Goodfella86]

I think he's one hell of a fighter. I do have some doubts about his chin, but being KO'd once is not really enough to worry about it yet.

He has fought 3 very tough guys in the UFC. And he outworked two of the best workers, prospect Wade and veteran Lentz.

 

[fortheo]

He needs to do better than this!

Rustam is a solid fighter, but am I the only one who thinks his striking has actually been regressing since that fight? his wrestling on the other hand has been looking better than ever.

 

[ArtemV]

I like Makhachev, he has more things to improve on; like finishing ability; striking offense and defense; submission hunting etc. He is a really good prospect though. Better than a lot of grapplers/wrestlers at LW.

 

[Readybodisready]

I don't like Islam. Really needs to evolve before I can give respect.

 

[riitzni]

I like him for no other reason than the magnificent and voluminous Islam related jokes and puns we can make from his name, both here in the main forum and during the PBPs. Sentences like "Islam forcibly converting Lentz" "Islam taking over this ground" "Islam looking explosive" never fail to give me a hearty chuckle.

He's also a good fighter on top of that so that's a plus too.

 

[Joseephii]

Rustam is a solid fighter, but am I the only one who thinks his striking has actually been regressing since that fight? his wrestling on the other hand has been looking better than ever.

Yep. He moved from JacksonWink to Khabib`s dad. Striking has regressed but wrestling has improved.

 

[fortheo]

Yep. He moved from JacksonWink to Khabib`s dad. Striking has regressed but wrestling has improved.

Exactly. Although, I think he recently (within a few months) joined tri-star, so that should be interesting.

 

[Joseephii]

Yep he is at Tristar now. Fuck, I think he wasted his first years, and now he is getting old.

 

[Ackmed]

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.

This is true, I watched Makhachev vs Lenz the other day, and isnt Lentz among the elusive "D1 Wrestlers" but was getting tossed around by Islam.

 

[Ackmed]

Yes I am also impressive by Islam Makhachev