Drew Dober Discusses ‘Avoidance Mindset,’ Keys to Beating Islam Makhachev

[Kowboy On Sherdog]

Nobody so far has managed to defeat Islam Makhachev, but one former opponent believes he now knows the key.

Ultimate Fighting Championship lightweight Drew Dober faced the current champ at UFC 259 in March of 2021. Makhachev put on a dominant showing, notching over nine minutes of control time before submitting Dober with an arm triangle in the third round. Dober, who got back in the win column by knocking out Ricky Glenn this past weekend at UFC Fight Night 229, learned from the loss and, despite being best known himself as kickboxer with knockout power, believes he made a mistake in approaching their fight as a striker-versus-grappler affair.

According to Dober, several elite grapplers in the 155-pound division have the required skills to beat Makhachev—if they are willing to grapple with him. Dober believes Makhachev’s opponents need to stop focusing on staying on the feet and start wrestling the undefeated Dagestani. The 34-year-old recently told Ariel Helwani on The MMA Hour:

“I think the key to beating Islam is that you have to dismiss the idea that he’s such a strong wrestler. Like you gotta be in it. Like, next time I fight Islam, I’m wrestling. Like we’re wrestling, it’s happening and I might even get a takedown or two. And I think that’s what these lightweights need to do. You can’t really on this avoidance mindset, like we don’t do this, we do this. Like no. You go in there, [with him] at his best and push him there and then you can find it elsewhere.”

Continue Reading

https://www.sherdog.com/news/news/D...indset-Keys-to-Beating-Islam-Makhachev-191343

 

[FrappeDuRocma]

In order to win against Islam, it's easy, you only need to beat him. <mma2>

 

[nonoob]

Logical thoughts, hope he can make this tough fight competitive.

 

[Deceasedxo]

He's not wrong.

 

[BrockLesnarsTurtleBack]

"Nobody so far has managed to defeat Islam Makhachev"

????

 

[markg171]

Asking guys who've lost to someone how to beat them has always been the dumbest thing.

 

[Kowboy On Sherdog]

"Nobody so far has managed to defeat Islam Makhachev"

????

Islam P Sonnen

 

[markg171]

"Nobody so far has managed to defeat Islam Makhachev"

????

Never let facts get in the way of narratives.

 

[ARW]

I agree with Dobers game plan

 

[Siver!]

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Nobody so far has managed to defeat Islam Makhachev, but one former opponent believes he now knows the key.

Ultimate Fighting Championship lightweight Drew Dober faced the current champ at UFC 259 in March of 2021. Makhachev put on a dominant showing, notching over nine minutes of control time before submitting Dober with an arm triangle in the third round. Dober, who got back in the win column by knocking out Ricky Glenn this past weekend at UFC Fight Night 229, learned from the loss and, despite being best known himself as kickboxer with knockout power, believes he made a mistake in approaching their fight as a striker-versus-grappler affair.

According to Dober, several elite grapplers in the 155-pound division have the required skills to beat Makhachev—if they are willing to grapple with him. Dober believes Makhachev’s opponents need to stop focusing on staying on the feet and start wrestling the undefeated Dagestani. The 34-year-old recently told Ariel Helwani on The MMA Hour:

“I think the key to beating Islam is that you have to dismiss the idea that he’s such a strong wrestler. Like you gotta be in it. Like, next time I fight Islam, I’m wrestling. Like we’re wrestling, it’s happening and I might even get a takedown or two. And I think that’s what these lightweights need to do. You can’t really on this avoidance mindset, like we don’t do this, we do this. Like no. You go in there, [with him] at his best and push him there and then you can find it elsewhere.”

Continue Reading

https://www.sherdog.com/news/news/D...indset-Keys-to-Beating-Islam-Makhachev-191343

Drew Dober the guy who got out-wrestled by Islam Makhachev says the key is to out-wrestle Islam Makhachev?

 

[Skarsgard]

Asking guys who've lost to someone how to beat them has always been the dumbest thing.

I disagree. I think they'd have better insight after the fact.

 

[nostradumbass]

Has he not watched any Islam's other fights? Oliveira tried to take him down, Volk tried 4 times, Moises tried to take him down 3 times, Arman Tsarukyan tried to take him down 12 times.

Trying to outgrapple the best grappler in the division sounds like a terrible plan.

 

[sonhow]

Gotta be sneaky about it though

 

[Duke Kensington]

I mean if volk was able to ground and pound and not get submitted for 25 minutes it’s possible a stronger/bigger lw could also have success against Islam…

that said Islam has lost and also was dropped on the feet so that’s definitely more proven

 

[chardog]

he's talking DIRECTLY to Justin Gaethje

 

[The XL]

It's called be an elite Welterweight or higher or freak of nature all time great Alex Volanovski on a good day. Everyone else at LW and under stands little to no chance, regardless of mindset

 

[ThePimblettEra]

"Nobody so far has managed to defeat Islam Makhachev"

????

It's even funnier because his defeat wasn't a controversial split decision or something like that.
He got felled like a fucking tree.
Bodied, sparko'd.

 

[MDoza]

Drew Dober the guy who got out-wrestled by Islam Makhachev says the key is to out-wrestle Islam Makhachev?

only because he was trying to not wrestle, but if he would have wrestled then he would have wrestled him real good

 

[HuskySamoan]

It's called be an elite Welterweight or higher or freak of nature all time great Alex Volanovski on a good day. Everyone else at LW and under stands little to no chance, regardless of mindset

Eduard Vartanyan, Usman Nurmagomedov, Arman Tsarukyan...only fellow Russians at Lightweight seem to even potentially have the skill set and ability to rival Islam. There's a lack of great athletes and strong grapplers/wrestlers at 155lbs and has been for years, it takes some athleticism, physicality and a good base of grappling to even stand up to a guy like Islam along with the conditioning to go a hard 5 rounds. Islam has technical striking but his footwork is bad just as Khabibs was awful and he doesn't handle pressure well since his defense is mainly to control range, be a constant takedown threat making opponents afraid to open up and...Islam's output is super low because he's more defense focused, guys who can snipe at range or pressure forward while stopping the takedown would give him issues. Just not many good grapplers or well rounded physical athletes at 155 with the necessary conditioning.

 

[MigitAs]

Drew dober doesn’t sniff the top 10 again