News Islam Makhachev Returns - UFC 311 - Jan 2025 - Via Khabib

[volcom5]

Added 2024 just so you can see the pattern. 2x vs the same guy in 2023 which both were a big fight.

I don't agree with the champion narrative though, champions need to allow the division to move on. Is Islam doing that? No. Simple.

2023 Makhachev fought Volkanovski twice, because Charles Oliviera is an idiot with his training regime a week out of a fight he didn’t deserve in the first place, Gaethje should’ve been fighting Makhachev not Oliviera.

Champion narrative? The only narrative is that Makhachev only fights once a year, aside from this year which I find using a calendar year as a bar for how often a fighter fights instead of months between bouts.

Division moving on? Makhachev is most likely fighting Arman and then after that who would be next? Isn’t that what Makhachev is doing moving the division forward? You can’t really blame Makhachev for the UFC’s matchmsking also, which the haters somehow always thinks that champions can choose who they fight.

 

[Conan the K-9]

You put yourself out there with some idiotic takes, so yes you will get quoted and called out for it.

Actually I get tagged by the trolls in these topics, because they love this idiotic drama and victim narratives with their favorite fighters.
For example If you read this thread, you can see who here has the idiotic takes and it’s not me.

 

[Steve Fox]

2023 Makhachev fought Volkanovski twice, because Charles Oliviera is an idiot with his training regime a week out of a fight he didn’t deserve in the first place, Gaethje should’ve been fighting Makhachev not Oliviera.

Champion narrative? The only narrative is that Makhachev only fights once a year, aside from this year which I find using a calendar year as a bar for how often a fighter fights instead of months between bouts.

Division moving on? Makhachev is most likely fighting Arman and then after that who would be next? Isn’t that what Makhachev is doing moving the division forward? You can’t really blame Makhachev for the UFC’s matchmsking also, which the haters somehow always thinks that champions can choose who they fight.

No, he isn't moving the division forward. He fought one time this year.

 

[fortheo]

You’re exaggerating a lot. Islam has had 16 UFC fights in 9 years and it’s with Covid break in between when he didn’t have a fight for 1,5 years. He had 3 fights in 2021, 2 fights in 2022, 2 in 2023 and one in 2024. On average he’s fighting every 6-7 months which isn’t super active, but really the average at the top.

That's the average for champs, but he wasn't champ the majority of his career, and the guy you responded to was looking at Islam's whole career. And again, I imagine the question of activity was only brought up because this year he'll be below average activity for a champ, combined with his less than average activity for a ufc fighter throughout his whole ufc career.....

People will bring it up. It isn't that big of a deal though. It isn't like he's dominic cruz levels innactive lol

 

[moosaev]

No, he isn't moving the division forward. He fought one time this year.

Thanks to UFC's idiotic matchmaking. Nobody asked them to match Max Holloway with Justin Gaethje, it was an entertaining fight but utterly pointless in terms of divisional relevance. The UFC stalled the division. Islam was ready to go in Feb 2024, UFC put him on the bench until June. They could've done Islam v Gaethje in Feb, even if Islam got injured he would've had enough time to fight Arman in October. As usual, Sherbros always blame fighters for the UFC's fuckups.

 

[LoveMyMMA]

Kevin Iole has an interview coming out soon with Islam.

 

[Steve Fox]

Thanks to UFC's idiotic matchmaking. Nobody asked them to match Max Holloway with Justin Gaethje, it was an entertaining fight but utterly pointless in terms of divisional relevance. The UFC stalled the division. Islam was ready to go in Feb 2024, UFC put him on the bench until June. They could've done Islam v Gaethje in Feb, even if Islam got injured he would've had enough time to fight Arman in October. As usual, Sherbros always blame fighters for the UFC's fuckups.

Did Islam really want to fight though? If a champion wants to fight, he will fight. No?

 

[moosaev]

Did Islam really want to fight though? If a champion wants to fight, he will fight. No?

Yes, he did. Khabib was visibly frustrated in an interview around January where he said they've asked for Gaethje but the UFC has other plans. Dana was simply obsessed with UFC 300 during that time, literally nothing else mattered to him.

 

[Chomsky Honk]

He's fighting Jan? That's quite a significant size disadvantage, props to him for taking this fight.

 

[AL-Tappo McSnappo]

I am a big fan of Makhashev but he is not going to beat the autism jokes, he fits right in.

 

[JoeRowe]

Who was it that badly wobbled Arman? This happened quite recently (within the last 2 years). Maybe it was someone else, i actually now recall he bludgeoned Alvarez with GNP. I think it was Joaqim Silva actually,...which is even worse because that happened more recently lol, Jan 2023.

At least he survived, unlike Islam getting slept by Adriano Martins

 

[moosaev]

At least he survived, unlike Islam getting slept by Adriano Martins

Martins KO happened 10 yrs ago pal, Arman was doing the chicken dance last year lol. Try again.

 

[kingmob6]

I am a big fan of Makhashev but he is not going to beat the autism jokes, he fits right in.

so islam is autistic? that's super dope, he can get dialed in to kick everyone's ass.

 

[Conan the K-9]

I am a big fan of Makhashev but he is not going to beat the autism jokes, he fits right in.

 

[volcom5]

At least he survived, unlike Islam getting slept by Adriano Martins

I love how that loss to Martins keeps getting brought like fighters never improve. Good thing Makhachev learned from that loss and is champion, while Martins probably sitting at bar with Adesanya saying “I beat that guy one time.”

 

[AL-Tappo McSnappo]

yeah we lack autism