Tag: Islam Makhachev

Islam Makhachev Ignores Justin Gaethje’s Demand, Accepts War Instead

We are no closer to finding out who will challenge for the UFC lightweight championship after UFC 269, so Justin Gaethje and Islam Makhachev continue to fill the waiting room with contentious chatter.

Business has picked up in the UFC’s lightweigh…

Islam Makhachev, Justin Gaethje

We are no closer to finding out who will challenge for the UFC lightweight championship after UFC 269, so Justin Gaethje and Islam Makhachev continue to fill the waiting room with contentious chatter.

Business has picked up in the UFC’s lightweight division as of late. At UFC 267, Makhachev swiftly disposed of Dan Hooker with a first-round submission victory. This made nine consecutive victories for Makhachev and bumped him up to #4 in the rankings. One month later, Gaethje and Michael Chandler put on a Fight of the Year candidate at UFC 268, which ultimately saw “The Highlight” survive the flames of another war.

UFC 268: Justin Gaethje, Michael Chandler put on epic battle
Justin Gaethje vs Michael Chandler, Image Credit: Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC

Justin Gaethje Gives Islam Makhachev A Marching Order

Prior to the bout between Gaethje and Chandler, there was already debate about who should be next in line for a crack at the lightweight championship. Should it be Islam Makhachev or the winner of Gaethje’s bout against Chandler? Both Gaethje and Chandler dismissed Makhachev from the championship conversation and insisted that their bout was a title eliminator.

Nevertheless, the debate has only picked up since Gaethje’s victory. Fighters, fans, and media members have all weighed in on who they believe should meet the winner of Dustin Poirier and Charles Oliveira’s upcoming bout. But as far as Justin Gaethje is concerned, he’s already done his job to earn the title shot. Now, it’s Islam Makhachev’s turn to do his (h/t MMA Fighting).

“Makhachev fought No. 14, went to No. 5 and fought a late replacement in Dan Hooker,” Gaethje said on the UFC Unfiltered podcast. “It wasn’t Dan Hooker on a full camp. It does not count as much, but still, it’s two top 15 guys, none in the top five, only one in the top 10. That’s not how this sh*t works.

“Do your f*cking job, fight these guys, and Beneil Dariush is right here. And I like the dude, he’s my friend so you know I’m just going to jump over this man and expect to get a title shot when the No. 3 guy is Beneil Dariush. Handle that. That has to be handled.”

Islam Makhachev Accepts An Expedited War

Beneil Dariush (#3) is, in fact, currently ranked ahead of Islam Makhachev (#4) in the lightweight rankings. Like Makhachev, Dariush is also enjoying an extraordinary winning streak, stringing together seven straight W’s, most recently over “El Cucuy” himself, Tony Ferguson.

At any rate, if Makhachev heard Gaethje’s demand, it’s impossible to notice. That is because he was too busy holding Gaethje to some of his other recent remarks, which is that a war is coming if and when the two meet in the future. The dominant Dagestani is primed and ready to stop the talking and begin the battle to settle who should rightfully advance to championship territory.

“So we’ll go to war,” Makhachev tweeted with a crossed swords emoji.

Makhachev isn’t the only person to make this suggestion. The man currently occupying the challenger role they are vying for, Dustin Poirier, thinks it would make sense for these two to fight it out to settle who should be next in line for the title shot. Makhachev’s head coach, Javier Mendez, believes it will ultimately come down to the fans to determine who’s next.

Opinions and debate aside, Gaethje has been adamant and consistent in his belief that he has already earned another title shot. If the UFC brass agrees, Makhachev may have to steer his artillery in the direction of Beneil Dariush or whoever else is brave enough to tussle with the seemingly unshakeable.

Which fight do you think makes more sense at this current juncture: Justin Gaethje vs. Islam Makhachev, or Islam Makhachev vs. Beneil Dariush?

Continue Reading Islam Makhachev Ignores Justin Gaethje’s Demand, Accepts War Instead at MMA News.

Coach: Next UFC Lightweight Title Shot Will Come Down To The Fans

American Kickboxing Academy head coach Javier Mendez is not sure who will get the lightweight title shot between Islam Makhachev and Justin Gaethje.

Mendez has been coaching and singing the praises of Makhachev for a while, even starting the rumors…

Justin Gaethje Islam Makhachev

American Kickboxing Academy head coach Javier Mendez is not sure who will get the lightweight title shot between Islam Makhachev and Justin Gaethje.

Mendez has been coaching and singing the praises of Makhachev for a while, even starting the rumors that he is better than his close friend and former lightweight champ Khabib Nurmagomedov. With these two vouching for him, Makhachev has gotten something of the fast track through the UFC rankings, securing a place in the top five before he even took out a top-ten opponent.

With Makhachev securing a quick win over Dan Hooker and Justin Gaethje scoring a victory in a war with Michael Chandler, there has been a bit of a debate on which of these two deserves the title shot. While speaking on his podcast, Mendez says that he is not sure who will end up getting the title shot, but the UFC is going to decide based on who brings in the most money, as they usually do.

“If the fans want it, the UFC will put it on. It’s a matter of not what coach thinks, not what Justin [Gaethje] thinks – It’s what makes the most money. And if it’s Justin that makes the most money for the UFC, that’s who’s gonna get it. The UFC is not making decisions based on anything but what fits in their pocketbook,” Mendez said (h/t Sportskeeda).

After this, Javier Mendez directed his attention to the way that the UFC runs things, saying that they are not a real promotion. He says this is the case in all MMA organizations though, not holding anything against the UFC in particular.

“That’s what they do. And you know what, it’s not a legit promotion; no promotion is. No fight promotion is legit. None. So, don’t think I’m bashing on one or the other. I’m not bashing on anyone. I just understand how promotion does, and what they do, and what they have to do,” Mendez said.

“The UFC is a great promotion, but that’s the politics of the game. And Bellator is a great promotion, but if they were in pay-per-view, that’s the politics of the game for them, too. That’s just the way it goes. Not bashing anybody; just stating facts.”

The point that Javier Mendez seems to be making here, is that there are good reasons for both Islam Makhachev and Justin Gaethje to get the title shot. However, in the end, the UFC will do whatever they think is best for the promotion.

Check out the full podcast in the video below:

Continue Reading Coach: Next UFC Lightweight Title Shot Will Come Down To The Fans at MMA News.

Justin Gaethje Believes Islam Makhachev Has To Fight Beneil Dariush Before Title Shot

Justin GaethjeJustin Gaethje thinks that Islam Makhachev has more to prove before fighting for the Lightweight championship. Gaethje has been vocal with his feelings on who he believes should get the next title shot. ‘The Highlight’ has gone on record claiming he has been beating top guys inside the division, and believes he should be up […]

Justin Gaethje

Justin Gaethje thinks that Islam Makhachev has more to prove before fighting for the Lightweight championship.

Gaethje has been vocal with his feelings on who he believes should get the next title shot. ‘The Highlight’ has gone on record claiming he has been beating top guys inside the division, and believes he should be up next to fight against the winner of the Dustin Poirier vs Charles Oliveira title bout.

Makhachev has been dominant since his UFC debut loss inside the octagon. He has won nine fights in a row, with his most recent victory over Dan Hooker being the most dominant of them all.

Gaethje has been trading words with “Khabib Nurmagomedov” (Ali Abdelaziz 100% runs his account) on Twitter regarding his close friend Makhachev.

Gaethje was a guest on the ‘UFC Unfiltered’ podcast when he had this to say regarding Makhachev,

“Makhachev fought No. 14, went to No. 5 and fought a late replacement in Dan Hooker. It wasn’t Dan Hooker on a full camp. It does not count as much, but still, it’s two top 15 guys, none in the top five, only one in the top 10. That’s not how this sh*t works. Do your f*cking job, fight these guys, and Beneil Dariush is right here. And I like the dude, he’s my friend so you know I’m just going to jump over this man and expect to get a title shot when the No. 3 guy is Beneil Dariush. Handle that. That has to be handled.” (T/C MMAJunkie)

Justin Gaethje is coming off a ‘Fight of the Year’ candidate against former title contender Michael Chandler

Gaethje took some incredible shots from Chandler that would have put a lesser fighter out. That fight was an absolute war and should have granted him the next shot at gold. Gaethje seems to believe that Poirier will beat Oliveira and will prompt a rematch between the two. Gaethje has even said that he believes Oliveira doesn’t have ‘that dog inside of him’, even though Oliveira was able to dig deep and sleep Michael Chandler after almost being finished himself. Which, if we are keeping count at home, was something Gaethje couldn’t do to Chandler.

Do you believe that Justin Gaethje should be next up in line for a title shot?

Dustin Poirier Suggests Gaethje/Makhachev Title Eliminator Bout

Dustin Poirier has suggested a title eliminator between former interim champion Justin Gaethje and surging Dagestani Islam Makhachev.

The debate over who deserves the first lightweight title shot of 2022 has picked up pace in recent weeks. The firs…

Dustin Poirier, Islam Makhachev, Justin Gaethje

Dustin Poirier has suggested a title eliminator between former interim champion Justin Gaethje and surging Dagestani Islam Makhachev.

The debate over who deserves the first lightweight title shot of 2022 has picked up pace in recent weeks. The first man to stake his claim for a meeting with the champ was Makhachev. The 30-year-old extended his winning streak to nine in Abu Dhabi last month. At UFC 267, he faced Dan Hooker, who stepped in to replace the injured Rafael dos Anjos. With a brutal kimura, Makhachev secured a first-round submission victory.

Having previously finished Drew Dober and Thiago Moisés this year, and ascended into the lightweight top five, Makhachev believes he has earned a championship opportunity, something that’s being heavily pushed by his friend and teammate Khabib Nurmagomedov.

On the other side of the coin is Gaethje. “The Highlight” held the interim gold last year and was the last man to challenge the dominance of Khabib. After over a year away from the cage following his loss to “The Eagle,” Gaethje returned to action at UFC 268 earlier this month. In a Fight of the Year contender, the brawler outpointed Michael Chandler, who’d fought for the title at UFC 262 in May this year.

Having held the interim strap in 2020, defeated one half of the most recent title fight, and maintained his place as the #2 man in the weight class, Gaethje believes he’s at the top of the queue. He has said he’ll “riot” if he isn’t granted the next shot at the champion.

Poirier has A Solution To The Debate

With the battle of ranking and competition level versus form and winning streak raging on, the current number one contender has given his take on his division’s title picture. After defeating MMA’s biggest superstar Conor McGregor twice this year, Poirier will challenge for Charles Oliveira’s gold in the UFC 269 main event on December 11.

During a recent appearance on Ariel Helwani’s The MMA Hour, Poirier discussed who he believes he should be facing next if he emerges victorious over “Do Bronx.” After clarifying that it ultimately won’t be his call, the Louisianan suggested Makhachev and Gaethje should simply meet in the cage to determine the next challenger.

“[Gaethje’s] victory over Michael Chandler] is one fight since the title fight. So obviously, he’s still the #2-ranked guy. Islam is on a huge streak. It’s not my call. I don’t know. Maybe Islam needs to fight one more top contender and then he’s next. I don’t know. Maybe Gaethje should fight Islam. That way, settle it. That’s the beautiful thing about fighting, right? You can just fight it out.”

Do you agree with Dustin Poirier? Should Gaethje and Makhachev collide in a title eliminator?

Continue Reading Dustin Poirier Suggests Gaethje/Makhachev Title Eliminator Bout at MMA News.

Dan Hooker On UFC 267 Stoppage: “Let It Break”

UFC lightweight Dan Hooker has spoken about his loss to surging contender Islam Makhachev at UFC 267, and given his take on the first-round stoppage.

Just days out from his victory over Nasrat Haqparast at UFC 266, which saw him rebound from prior …

Dan Hooker, UFC 267: Makhachev vs. Hooker

UFC lightweight Dan Hooker has spoken about his loss to surging contender Islam Makhachev at UFC 267, and given his take on the first-round stoppage.

Just days out from his victory over Nasrat Haqparast at UFC 266, which saw him rebound from prior defeats to Dustin Poirier and Michael Chandler, Hooker signed on for another fight scheduled for just a month later. After Rafael dos Anjos withdrew from his bout with Makhachev due to a recent surgery, the always-game Hooker stepped in to replace him in Abu Dhabi.

Despite looking to prove the likes of Khabib Nurmagomedov and Javier Mendez wrong, who’d essentially suggested “The Hangman” posed little threat to their man, the New Zealander’s night was over in two minutes and 25 seconds. The Dagestani secured a first-round submission victory after locking in a brutal kimura.

What did Hooker say to trigger the ref stoppage?

While Makhachev surges towards a championship opportunity or title eliminator, Hooker has been left to ponder what went wrong on Fight Island. During a recent pub sit-down with The Mac Life’s Oscar Willis, the #8-ranked lightweight discussed his third defeat in four fights.

According to Hooker, the fight-ending submission came after he made multiple mistakes that shouldn’t have happened. Despite Makhachev’s clinical grappling performance, “The Hangman” suggested the majority of factors that led to the result came through his own errors, rather than the Dagestani’s supreme grappling.

“What happened, happened. That whole thing’s pretty self-explanatory… I wouldn’t say (I made) one little mistake, it was a series of mistakes… mistakes that, just shouldn’t have been made and that’s completely on me. I’m the one that has to bare the brunt of that, which I will.

“I would just say he’s super patient. He got the takedown, which was obviously my bad, secured the takedown; my bad again. That’s two of the many mistakes. But yeah, he was just quite comfortable waiting there. Again, (I) tried to force it a little bit too much, like, getting back up… I wasn’t comfortable just sitting there and staying there for the next three minutes.”

“I thought I’d said it in my head.”

– Dan Hooker

In the immediate aftermath of the kimura, Hooker appeared confused and agitated at the referee. The 31-year-old has now hilariously admitted that the referee stepped in after he accidentally shouted “Ah fuck,” something he believed he’d only said in his head at the time. After his initial complaints, Hooker revealed he told the referee that he should have let his arm break.

“I thought I’d said it in my head. To be honest I haven’t even gone back and watched the fight. He had my arm wrapped up and I said, I thought I said in my head, I said, ‘Ah fuck!’ [LAUGHS] I thought I said it in my head but obviously, I’ll have to go back and watch it, because obviously I said it out loud… That’s why, I though I’d said it in my head, so initially when the ref starts breaking it up I was like, ‘What? Let it break,’ you know what I mean?”

Having failed to continue the momentum he gained after returning to the win column against Haqparast in September, Hooker will now look to rebound once again when he returns to action in 2022.

What do you make of Dan Hooker’s comments regarding his UFC 267 stoppage?

Continue Reading Dan Hooker On UFC 267 Stoppage: “Let It Break” at MMA News.

Justin Gaethje Warns Islam Makhachev That ‘F—king War Is Coming’

Justin Gaethje knows a fight with Islam Makhachev is coming in the future, and he has a message for the Dagestani.

Gaethje has had his eyes on Makhachev for a while, but things have really heated up between the two, after Daniel Cormier suggested t…

Justin Gaethje Islam Makhachev

Justin Gaethje knows a fight with Islam Makhachev is coming in the future, and he has a message for the Dagestani.

Gaethje has had his eyes on Makhachev for a while, but things have really heated up between the two, after Daniel Cormier suggested that Makhachev should jump the line for the next title shot, over the winner of Gaethje’s UFC 269 war with Michael Chandler. This has since developed into a back and forth with the Khabib protégé, as well as the former champ himself.

Gaethje is convinced at the point, that he has done enough to earn the title shot, lest the UFC does something that he would consider to be unethical. However, speaking with MMAFighting, he made it clear that he knows that there is a solid chance of him fighting Makhachev someday, sending a warning to the lightweight prospect.

“I’ll let him go first if he gets his spot. I’ll beat one of these guys (Poirier or Oliveira) and then I’ll let him go first. Fuck yeah, I’m looking forward to that. War’s coming. He wants to know one thing, fucking war is coming, so bring it,” Gaethje said.

By all accounts, it seems likely that the UFC will book Justin Gaethje against the winner of next month’s lightweight title fight between Charles Oliveira and Dustin Poirier, especially given how exciting his fight with Chandler was. Knocking at the door just behind him, though, is most likely Islam Makhachev, so it is nice to see that Gaethje is not intimidated by the mystique surrounding the highly touted prospect.

Watch the full interview with Justin Gaethje in the video below:

Continue Reading Justin Gaethje Warns Islam Makhachev That ‘F—king War Is Coming’ at MMA News.