What made Islam so much difficult for JDM?

[rjmbrd]

Islam's not a Dagestani wrestler, he has been training for a long time to adapt efficient techniques for MMA.

He looked more diverse even on the feet than JDM and used that to set up the TD. That's a lot more difficult to defend than Ramzan telegraphed TD.

On the ground he may or may not have that much of a physical strength advantage. A small dude that can use leverage better feels like he weighs a ton. Poirier wasn't that impressed.

Early sharp leg kicks were brilliant and changed the course of the fight from go.

JDM is a great fighter - he's solidly a top 5 welterweight and beating Belal was a real achievement. Islam was the most sophisticated fighter JDM ever fought and one of the most experienced at world class competition.

Jack will improve and remain a dangerous ranked welterweight for some time, but he'll never be at that level.

Aside from Islam generally looking very comfortable at his new weight/size, it did surprise me Jack showed up for a boxer -vs- grappler fight seemingly unprepared to get kicked in the leg.

 

[BowserJr]

I was looking at some wikis and it turns out JDM fought a Dagestani wrestler early in career and OBLITERATED him


Did the repeat of Petr vs Merab against wrestler in Belal Muhammad recently

Had a very counter grappling heavy training camp for the Islam fight yet he could do NOTHING At All. Its actually kind of crazy Islam made it look so easy as based on history JDM shoulda had his head if you look at his previous performace the last time he fought a Dagestani wrestler.

Islam faced a much better trained and much more experienced JDM but he looked like he was on a different planet when it comes to performance

Calf kicks destroyed his movements from rnd 2 fwd

 

[TriangleMonkey]

Islam has a set of skills basically unmatched

Enjoy it while its around, nothing good lasts forever

 

[humdizzle]

Not everyone from Dagestan is good.

just because you won a combat sambo title or adcc championship... doesn't mean you are a top ufc fighter.

i just looked ramazan emeev up and his body looks laughably soft for a 5'10 welterweight.

 

[johndhi]

In the video you posted, the guy actually took JDM down successfully with his first attempt and then got a pretty solid sub attempt against him. After JDM got up the wrestler didn't shoot again and instead got tagged and put out. If he'd committed to his wrestling - like Islam did - JDM might have lost that one.

 

[Karate Kid]

having Khabib, a tactical savant as your coach is one thing backed up by the fact he has been in the cauldron of MMA so his experience is another vector of knowledge.

the Russians just train different and i need to make a thread on that.

the gameplan to compromise JDM's calf set things in motion as Poirier said himself he would not be allowed to "plan" his feet in his punches against Islam.

ultimately it also came down to a difference of skill as this forum for some reason refuses to acknowledge how absurdly elite Islam is in basically every facet of the game. it was just a difference of levels.

 

[HHJ]

I just love how Bathtubbers and their close ones cannot even accept the fact that Islame had far more preparation time for JDM than vice versa. This is absolutely not “pulled out of thin air” — it’s factual. And moreover, it’s absolutely ridiculous that anyone tries to explain to all of us how having 10 months of training for one guy is not an advantage over having one more fight in those 10 months and only starting to train for the specific guy 3 months before the fight. I swear, the mental gymnastics some of you are willing to sell here just to defend your guy is insane. And I did not even say it’s illegal what he did — no, I just said it’s a clear advantage, and usually every single Shermano would agree, except when it comes to the Bathtubbers.

Like, my dudes, it’s pure math:

• Islame’s last fight was in January 2025. From then on, he basically knew that if JDM won in May, he would move up. So what did he do between January and May? Train for JDM, obviously.
• JDM fought Bilel in May 2025 and had been preparing for him since February after the fight was announced — all while Islame could train specifically for JDM.
• JDM then won the title in a 5-round fight in May.
• This gave Islame even more video material to study and allowed him to fine-tune his training in detail.
• The fight between Islame and JDM was officially announced in August.
• Both fighters then start training for their fight, but only one had been preparing for the other since February. The other just started in August after resting some time after a 5 round championship fight.

Just look at this shit hahahahaah

the man's broken!

 

[DougieJones]

Holy shit, he bulked up to 195 and grew a half an inch. Stop the presses.

He has already popped at least once

 

[BJJ4Tone]

Islam is an all-time great.
Highest-level of grappling, elite takedowns, above-average striking and the very best coaching and game-planning.

I know anyone Dagestani is gonna be a lightning rod on here, but if you're still trying to discredit Islam or deny his greatness, at this point, you're just a lame-o idiot.

 

[MMACro]

Just look at this shit hahahahaah

the man's broken!

I legit cant believe what im reading from him lol

 

[VinceArch]

Even ranked WW's are going to struggle against a GOAT.

 

[Mohawk Banditó]

Islam is better than whoever that other guy was.

There are depths we can explore this, but I feel like the answer is that simple.

Welcome back sir!

That didn't last long :\

I hope it wasn't all the asses, but at the same time, that's a lot of asses.
Quick, everyone save the pics before it gets deleted.

 

[Dionysian]

There are exactly four obsessive Muslim-hating posters on Sherdog. Balkanbomber, Conan K9, dildos, MarkG. Any time there's a Muslim fighter in a thread... Get ready to see the same old shit.

All of them predicted JDM victory prior to the fight. JDM was "going to KO that inbred neanderthal bathtub dog whistle dog whistle savage."

Now all of them are excuse machines. "Russian creatine prep time neckbeard inbred dog whistle dog whistle."

Shut the fuck up you good for nothing crybabies.

 

[TR1]

Islam said he started taking Russian "creatine" for the first time in his life. He previously tested positive for one of the mostly commonly prescribed drugs in the Russian State Doping Program, so who knows what he was actually taking? His teammates who he describes as brothers, Zubaira Tukhugov and Usman Nurmagomedov, have tested positive for steroids and served PED suspensions.

You are a shitty troll, but:

1. Meldonium was not a "State doping program drug". it was an Over the counter med across much of Eastern Europe. It's the least "PED" PED of all time.
Islam successfully appealed and looked better than ever after he stopped taking it as well. Also, there was no Russian State program for MMA lmao, to even insinuate as much is moronic.

2. Yeah if Islam got on some serious PEDs I'm sure he would be hinting about it by talking about creatine.

3. LMAO X1000 if you think Western fighters have trouble finding PEDs in their gym.

Go take some PEDs for your brain, might awaken something.

 

[TR1]

There are exactly four obsessive Muslim-hating posters on Sherdog. Balkanbomber, Conan K9, dildos, MarkG. Any time there's a Muslim fighter in a thread... Get ready to see the same old shit.

All of them predicted JDM victory prior to the fight. JDM was "going to KO that inbred neanderthal bathtub dog whistle dog whistle savage."

Now all of them are excuse machines. "Russian creatine prep time neckbeard inbred dog whistle dog whistle."

Shut the fuck up you good for nothing crybabies.

Random american college kids pop creatine smoothies daily but these morons think professional Western fighters have a hard time getting it as well as more serious stuff. Lmao.

 

[legedema]

My man, I would really like to sit here and read your mental gymnastics about why, in this one single particular case, having three times more preparation time than your opponent—including him having a fight in between—is actually worse than just having just 3 months to prepare for your opponent. Really.

But you know, fairytale hour was a thing three and a half decades ago, and I really don’t have the time or nerves for that. So, just go on.

seems like you have all the nerves to post stupid shit.
obviously yoıu never trained and think like a stupid child that training is a basic math. 6 months better than 3 months

 

[Doctor Grudge]

Stance is not favorable and Islam was able to put pressure on JDM with good footwork and strikes that kind of prevented him from having his typical takedown defense setups.

Aka, he is just a lot better than JDM. Islam is arguably the goat 155er, JDM is "just" a top 5 type of guy at WW (probably, could be better, we'll see how JDM does against other contenders).

 

[legedema]

I just love how Bathtubbers and their close ones cannot even accept the fact that Islame had far more preparation time for JDM than vice versa. This is absolutely not “pulled out of thin air” — it’s factual. And moreover, it’s absolutely ridiculous that anyone tries to explain to all of us how having 10 months of training for one guy is not an advantage over having one more fight in those 10 months and only starting to train for the specific guy 3 months before the fight. I swear, the mental gymnastics some of you are willing to sell here just to defend your guy is insane. And I did not even say it’s illegal what he did — no, I just said it’s a clear advantage, and usually every single Shermano would agree, except when it comes to the Bathtubbers.

Like, my dudes, it’s pure math:

• Islame’s last fight was in January 2025. From then on, he basically knew that if JDM won in May, he would move up. So what did he do between January and May? Train for JDM, obviously.
• JDM fought Bilel in May 2025 and had been preparing for him since February after the fight was announced — all while Islame could train specifically for JDM.
• JDM then won the title in a 5-round fight in May.
• This gave Islame even more video material to study and allowed him to fine-tune his training in detail.
• The fight between Islame and JDM was officially announced in August.
• Both fighters then start training for their fight, but only one had been preparing for the other since February. The other just started in August after resting some time after a 5 round championship fight.

again,your brain is little stupid

 

[KO Shotz]

JDM got his legs immolized early by islam leg kicks.

this

 

[Conan the K-9]

Movlid Khaybulaev Accepts Doping Sanction | USADA

Movlid Khaybulaev has accepted the maximum one-year sanction for a violation of the Professional Fighters League Anti-Doping Policy.

www.usada.org

Russian creatine strikes again!