Islam Makhachev and Khabib Nurmagomedov are among the most famous champions in the history of the UFC. Have you ever wondered how they would perform facing each other inside the octagon?
Khabib Nurmagomedov has seen all the ups and no lows during his tenure in the UFC and retired as an undefeated fighter with a staggering record of 29-0. Khabib’s reign was so dominant that he almost effortlessly beat opponents like Conor McGregor, Justin Gaethje, and Dustin Poirier.
Following Khabib’s retirement from MMA, he was sure that his teammate Islam Makhachev would eventually become the champion, and ultimately his prediction was proven correct. Islam Makhachev defeated Charles Oliveira in an emphatic fashion to become the UFC lightweight champion and continued Khabib’s late father Abdulmanap’s legacy as a coach.
Unlike his teammate, Islam Makhachev is not undefeated as he has one professional loss on his record. Despite that single loss, Islam eventually became the champion and he is currently ruling the lightweight division with an iron fist. So far, he has faced some of the toughest challenges like the former lightweight champion Charles Oliveira, former featherweight champion Alexander Volkanovski, and former interim lightweight champion Dustin Poirier.
These two fighters are highly skilled athletes possessing extraordinary abilities and when two highly skilled fighters compete, it’s natural to draw a comparison between them to analyze how they actually use their skills to win fights, and also because it’s fun to hypothesize fights that we are never going to witness (high hopes for Jones vs Aspinall).
So, let’s see who gets the upper hand between Islam Makhachev and Khabib Nurmagomedov in a fight.
Islam Makhachev vs. Khabib Nurmagomedov tale of the tape.
| Islam Makhachev | Khabib Nurmagomedov | |
| Makhachkala, Dagestan, Russia | Born | Makhachkala, Dagestan, Russia |
| 26-1-0 | Record | 29-0-0 |
| 5′ 10″ | Height | 5’10” |
| 70″ | Reach | 70″ |
| 155 Lbs. | Weight | 155 Lbs. |
| 2.65 | Strike Landed Per Minute | 4.10 |
| 1.54 | Strike Absorbed Per Minute | 1.75 |
| 61% | Striking Defense | 65% |
| 59% | Striking Accuracy | 48% |
| 3.19 | Takedown Average | 5.32 |
| 53% | Takedown Accuracy | 48% |
| 90% | Takedown Defense | 84% |
| 1.1 | Submission Average | 0.8 |
Islam Makhachev vs Khabib Nurmagomedov ways to victory.
A fight between Islam Makhachev and Khabib Nurmagomedov inside the UFC octagon would have been a nightmare for us to predict.
Both of them are highly competitive athletes who are also capable enough to make some critical adjustments during the fight which can definitely affect the results.
Although they share a common fighting style, some key differences in their styles of fighting can leave many opportunities for either fighter to emerge victorious.
So, let’s see how they can defeat each other –
Islam Makhachev’s way to victory.
When it comes to MMA, Islam Makhachev might be the definition of a complete fighter. We already know about his mastery on the ground, but Islam has also improved in his stand-up game. Who knows? He might be more skilled than most of the strikers in the lightweight division.
If we closely observe Islam’s fight against Charles Oliveira, Alexander Volkanovski, and Dustin Poirier, who are some of the toughest challenges he has faced so far, we can actually notice his improvements from being just a wrestler and submission artist to a complete mixed martial artist.
To defeat a fighter like Khabib, Islam has a better chance if he keeps this fight on the feet. His striking skills are much superior to his opponent’s, so he must use that in this fight more than the wrestling.
Knowing Khabib’s fighting style, Islam would expect immediate pressure and multiple takedown attempts. So to be safe, he has to avoid going against the cage and maintain the center of the octagon to effectively defend against Khabib’s takedowns.
Maintaining the center would give Islam enough chances to move freely and he could also blitz his attacks to find openings. It can work great against a fighter like Khabib who’s not known for his movements while striking. Islam can also deal some massive damage at close distance with his knees, elbows, and uppercuts.
Even though I know Islam is one of the best wrestlers in the UFC right now, I would not risk his chances of going on the ground with Khabib. Instead, he can use his wrestling to defend the takedowns and utilize his power strikes as the main weapon.
If the fight goes to the ground and Islam decides to become the initiator, then he should be the one to dictate the pressure. He can drive Khabib against the cage and then go for the hips, double-leg, or his signature trip.
However, I still don’t think all of these methods would be enough to takedown prime Khabib, but they might be the best chances that Islam has of getting a takedown against “The Eagle”.
Also Read: Top 05 Reasons Why People Love Watching MMA.
Khabib Nurmagomedov’s way to victory.
The undefeated phenom Khabib Nurmagomedov was never dethroned from his position. Many have tried to at least show some competition against him and despite their best efforts, Khabib remained the champion. He retired after defeating Justin Gaethje at UFC 254 when he was in his prime, leaving us wanting to see more.
If Islam Makhachev is an all-round martial artist, Khabib Nurmagomedov is a perfectionist. He obviously could punch and kick very effectively, but it was always counted out as a strong aspect of his abilities. It was always Khabib’s wrestling that was at the forefront of everybody’s discussion before his fights.
There have been many accomplished wrestlers in the UFC, but what makes Khabib’s style stand out is his exceptional distribution of body weight. Whenever he was in a full-guard position, he could trap his opponents using the legs simultaneously landing power strikes from the top. We name it, “The Khabib Smash”.
Khabib who has faced some of the best strikers in the lightweight division, knows that Islam would carefully choose his attacks to deal selective damage. So, pressuring him early would create a good chance of securing a takedown, but Islam’s takedown defense is something that can trouble him early.
If Khabib lingers around Islam as he did with Gleeson Tibau, then the outcome will not favor him. Islam is a way sharp to find a gap in the defense and then capitalize on it.
Where Khabib ultimately shines is in the pace of his takedowns. While Islam focuses heavily on his techniques to get everything right, Khabib’s relentless pressure on the takedowns can overcome the technicalities, and if he manages to counter Islam’s kickboxing, then it’s just matter of time when Khabib finds the top control and smashes his way to victory.
Also Read: Opinion: The UFC Will Not Allow Conor McGregor to Fight in India.
Islam Makhachev vs Khabib Nurmagomedov who wins in a fight?
On paper, Islam Makhachev looks like a much better fighter. He has better overall skills and he is also very close to breaking Khabib’s record as the champion. But, in a practical scenario which also follows popular belief that Khabib Nrumagomedov defeats Islam Makhachev possibly by decision.
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