Islam Makhachev wants to shed the tag of “Khabib’s protege.”
If he hasn’t already cemented his legacy as one of the greatest lightweights to step inside the UFC Octagon, Islam Makhachev has the chance to take it a notch further this weekend.
Come UFC 302, Islam Makhachev will look to tie Khabib Nurmagomedov, among BJ Penn, Frankie Edgar, and Benson Henderson, for the most number of title defenses in the UFC’s lightweight division when he takes on Dustin Poirier in the 5-round headliner. Fourteen straight wins will also put him above Khabib Nurmagomedov for most consecutive wins in UFC history.
In the UFC Countdown episode ahead of UFC 302, Islam Makhachev makes a case to say that the fans must stop calling him Khabib’s protege hereon.
“People say I am Khabib’s protege. But now I have the belt, now I am #1 in P4P rankings. Khabib has his time, and right now, it’s my time.“ Makhachev said. (10:16)
Khabib Nurmagomedov wants Islam Makhachev to finish Dustin Poirier in under three rounds
In a video uploaded by Championship Rounds on X, the former lightweight champion shared his thoughts on the highly anticipated match-up. Nurmagomedov is no stranger to the opponent who will meet Makhachev this weekend, having fought him in his second title defense back in 2019.
Nurmagomedov submitted Poirier in the third round to retain his lightweight gold at UFC 242 and believes that he understands the strengths and weaknesses in Poirier’s game. Makhachev’s camp has already devised a strategy that Khabib thinks will mark a stoppage loss for Dustin Poirier within three rounds.
“I have a good sense of his [Poirier’s] strengths and weaknesses. We are working hard on these aspects…We have a clearly developed plan for the fight, and I believe Islam [Makhachev] will follow it. I really hope that Islam will finish him off in the second or third round.” (H/T Sportskeeda)
Watch the clip below.
Khabib Nurmagomedov says there is a “clearly developed plan” for Islam Makhachev to follow against Dustin Poirier, and hopes that Islam will finish Dustin in the 2nd or 3rd round:
If Islam Makhachev is able to get past Dustin Poirier, he says a match-up against Arman Tsarukyan makes sense. However, the Dagestan phenom has expressed his desire to fight Leon Edwards for the welterweight title on multiple occasions in recent memory.
Talking about his plans to move up a weight class, Makhachev intends to defend his title two more times (including Dustin Poirier at UFC 302) and move up a weight class. While only time will tell how the story unfolds for Islam Makhachev, it’s safe to say that if he can do it, it certainly ranks him, if I am allowed, way above Khabib Nurmagomedov as the greatest UFC fighter of all time.