Islam Makhachev is widely considered the pinnacle of mixed martial arts by many, including a couple of iconic legends of the sport. These two historic figures, Israel Adesanya and Demetrious Johnson, shared their thoughts on Makhachev’s recent triumph against Ian Machado Garry at UFC 330 on August 15th.
The former two-time UFC middleweight champion analyzed the matchup with DJ on their show Precision with Mighty and Izzy. In a clip of the conversation posted by X account @RedCorner_MMA, Adesanya noted,
“Islam [Makhachev] demonstrated that he is truly the best of the lot. I am a fan of Usman [Nurmagomedov] too, particularly due to his kicking style and taekwondo-like rhythm. However, when you integrate every aspect of MMA, Islam stands alone. He is currently the premier fighter globally. The trouble is, he constantly faces opponents I root for, which leads me to bet against him… I keep thinking he can’t possibly win every single time [laughs]. My betting tickets are suffering! Just kidding, of course [laughs].”
‘Mighty Mouse’ concurred with the view that the Dagestani champion deserves the number-one spot on the pound-for-pound list. The former multi-promotional champion (UFC and ONE) burst into laughter as Adesanya lamented his recurring dilemma of Makhachev constantly defeating athletes ‘The Last Stylebender’ personally supports.
Khabib Nurmagomedov also praises Islam Makhachev following his historic title defense at UFC 330
Given his deep connection with his iconic mentor Khabib Nurmagomedov, it is no surprise that the legendary figure offered glowing praise in the aftermath of the weekend’s event. The retired UFC lightweight king used Instagram to share his reactions to his protégé’s monumental win in Philadelphia, writing [as reported by BJPenn.com],
“There is a specific word: ‘Success.’ In the sporting world, it carries immense weight, and Islam is the very definition of it. He has climbed to the absolute peak of the sport, set a new record for the longest win streak in the UFC, and is deservedly ranked among the greatest competitors to ever compete. Wishing you protection from the Almighty, brother.”
This piece originally featured on BJPENN.COM
