Former heavyweight champ vs current UFC lightweight champ?
For years, Khabib Nurmagomedov was notorious for outwrestling far bigger training partners in the gym. Could his heir to the throne also earn that mantle?
Newly crowned UFC lightweight champ Islam Makhachev recently posted a video with him taking on former heavyweight champion Daniel Cormier, and claiming his wrestling is better.
“Finally, everyone will find out the truth, who’s wrestling is better. I warned you DC Make sure watch the video guys,” Makhachev wrote.
The short clip shows a playful training session, with Makhachev taking down the much heavier Cormier.
Cormier has since responded to Islam’s post, claiming the footage was doctored.
“Don’t buy the video,” Cormier responded on ESPN. “First off, Makhachev has the greatest video editors of all time! Because yes, he did get points there, he got four points there in wrestling.
“But Ryan (Clark), he didn’t put the rest of the match! If you scroll through those videos, there’s a guy named Romero Cotton that was the official, he was scoring the points. By the end of the match, I was the guy with my hand raised! I won the match!”
We found the longer clip of the training session, which was originally posted two years ago, long before Makhachev became champion. It was a light and playful session, with Cormier talking trash and calling Makhachev a “JV” level wrestler. Cormier wasn’t at all serious and was going very light, but for what it’s worth, it doesn’t quite end up the same way as either guy described.