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Robert Whittaker says there is a 'skill gap' between Islam Makhachev and Arman Tsarukyan:
“I just feel there is a skill gap. Islam is in a very good place right now. I find it very hard to see him getting defeated.”
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Robert Whittaker: There’s 'Skill Gap' Between Islam Makhachev, Arman Tsarukyan
Robert Whittaker doesn’t think Islam Makhachev and Arman Tsarukyan are on the same level.
Robert Whittaker doesn’t think Islam Makhachev and Arman Tsarukyan are on the same level.
Makhachev puts his lightweight title on the line in a rematch against Tsarukyan in the main event at UFC 311 on Saturday at the Intuit Dome in Los Angeles. Tsarukyan previously dropped a hard-fought unanimous decision against Makhachev in his short-notice UFC debut in 2019. Tsarukyan has since lost only once in 10 outings and comes off a split-decision win over Charles Oliveira at UFC 300 in April 2024.
Meanwhile, Makhachev has defended his title three times since winning it against Oliveira in 2020. The Dagestani star comes off a fifth-round submission win over Dustin Poirier at UFC 302 in June, which many consider to be his toughest test to date. Tsarukyan is widely expected to pose the biggest threat so far to Makhachev’s championship reign.
However, Whittaker doesn’t think so. The Australian sees an evident skill difference between Makhachev and “Ahalkalakets” based on their latest outings. According to “Bobby Knuckles,” Makhachev is a tough customer to beat at this stage in his career.
“I understand how good Arman Tsarukyan is,” Whittaker said on the MMA Arcade podcast. “But I just feel like if we look at Islam’s last fight with Dustin and we look at Arman’s last fight with Charles, I just feel like there’s a skill gap. And everyone’s saying how well Arman went in his debut, short notice etc., etc. But you look at the names, you look at the level of fights, you look at the stage that Islam’s fight was set on, I don’t know, I just see … Islam’s in a really good place right now. I find it very hard to see him getting defeated.”
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