Makhov warns heavyweights: Olympic Gold then UFC title

[Dragon Punch]

On April 25, 2015, the UFC announced the signing of a 6'5" 290-pound Russian wrestling icon, Bilyal Makhov.

Throughout 2016, Makhov's focus will be on his freestyle wrestling training for the Olympics. If everything goes according to plan, he will enter the MMA sphere as an Olympic Gold Medalist. Then, as he so aptly put it, a UFC championship will be on his "to-do list."

http://www.bloodyelbow.com/2016/1/6...makhov-daniel-cormier-cain-velasquez-mma-news

The HW division is in desperate need of new talent. Will he be a legit threat to the HW division Sherbros?

 

[Ken Oath]

A good move not to go Russian into the UFC straight away. Get the Gold first.

 

[Fahrenheit1221]

He looks like Blagoi Ivanov 2.0

 

[saugeye killah]

Scary looking dude.

 

[JahBless]

On April 25, 2015, the UFC announced the signing of a 6'5" 290-pound Russian wrestling icon, Bilyal Makhov.

Throughout 2016, Makhov's focus will be on his freestyle wrestling training for the Olympics. If everything goes according to plan, he will enter the MMA sphere as an Olympic Gold Medalist. Then, as he so aptly put it, a UFC championship will be on his "to-do list."

http://www.bloodyelbow.com/2016/1/6...makhov-daniel-cormier-cain-velasquez-mma-news

The HW division is in desperate need of new talent. Will he be a legit threat to the HW division Sherbros?

Okay, a bigass wrestler with athletic gifts. we may have seen this before. Those guys need get smoked across the jaw by pissed-off heavyweights a few times before we can seriously gauge their potential as prizefighters.

 

[JahBless]

He looks like Blagoi Ivanov 2.0

Minus the whole "stabbed nearly to death" thing.

 

[Jorge Luis Borges]

The UFC needs to drop the 265 lb ceiling on HW. A guy who wrestles at 290 probably doesn't have a Roy Nelson-esque physique.

 

[Which Doctor]

Okay, a bigass wrestler with athletic gifts. we may have seen this before. Those guys need get smoked across the jaw by pissed-off heavyweights a few times before we can seriously gauge their potential as prizefighters.

Well, we know they can become HW champion. Barring illness, who knows how long this Russian could stay champ?

 

[Puss]

Fuck yes, we need some new beasts in the fatty division!

 

[Sgt Smith]

Would love to see him breathe some new life in the HWs.

 

[Combat Wombatt]

Would be very interesting.

 

[Palpatine]

The UFC needs to drop the 265 lb ceiling on HW. A guy who wrestles at 290 probably doesn't have a Roy Nelson-esque physique.

 

[Deleted member 110072]

Would love to see him breathe some new life in the HWs.

Could wll be the HW division is really on life support by the timehe makes it to the top of the UFC, a lot of the older names that are still performing reasonable well know may well be in serious decline or retired by 2017.

 

[Rex Kwon Do]

Gotta wait until we see how he reacts to a punch before prognosticating. But if he does have a good chin, no problem getting hit, and can get his hands to a decent level it's not unreasonable to believe he quickly becomes top 10. Heavyweight is terrible.

Oh, and he should learn English now in order to maximize his earning potential.

 

[Final Say]

A guy like Ben Rothwell knocks him dead unless he takes his striking very seriously

 

[Bharris4]

Him and Jones for the belt one day will be awesome

 

[Rex Kwon Do]

The UFC needs to drop the 265 lb ceiling on HW. A guy who wrestles at 290 probably doesn't have a Roy Nelson-esque physique.

Yeah, there's no reason not to lift it. People act like if they do, we'll end up with horrible huge fat guys that will, I suppose, somehow smother their lighter yet more skilled/more exciting opponents, which will be bad for viewers and the sport. To which I respond: no they won't because the UFC won't sign those guys. They have no incentive to.

 

[Jorge Luis Borges]

Rulon is a big, big boy. I remember reading an article that suggested he was offered $1m to fihgt Fedor after beating Yoshida in Pride, but that he turned it down because he didn't enjoy punching people. I'm not sure if it's true or not, but I would have liked to see more of him in MMA.

 

[bigconan]

On April 25, 2015, the UFC announced the signing of a 6'5" 290-pound Russian wrestling icon, Bilyal Makhov.

Throughout 2016, Makhov's focus will be on his freestyle wrestling training for the Olympics. If everything goes according to plan, he will enter the MMA sphere as an Olympic Gold Medalist. Then, as he so aptly put it, a UFC championship will be on his "to-do list."

http://www.bloodyelbow.com/2016/1/6...makhov-daniel-cormier-cain-velasquez-mma-news

The HW division is in desperate need of new talent. Will he be a legit threat to the HW division Sherbros?

He's another mark coleman. Great wrestler, but will never be a champion in todays' mma. Maybe 15 years ago, but not today. You need much more than just wrestling to win at the highest level. Just ask brock, coleman, etc... And no, brock did not win at the highest level. couture and mir are simply not even top 5.

 

[soulsstealer]

Why do they have the limit? is to to protect the smaller HWs?