“Can Finish on Ground” Khabib Nurmagomedov was excited by the prospect of Charles Oliveira being submitted by Islam Makhachev in Brazil
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Khabib Nurmagomedov may have his legacy as the lightweight GOAT set in stone, but then Charles Oliveira walked in with a jackhammer and almost ruined it all. While his earlier career is nowhere comparable to that of Khabib, since his move to lightweight he has become a force to be reckoned with, especially during his title reign.
Now Khabib is not too worried however as he completely trusts the abilities of his protege Islam Makhachev in gaining the victory over Oliveira. Islam has been one of the most avoided fighters at the weight class and with the recent weight miss and subsequent stripping of Charles Oliveira his title aspirations may have come closer than ever.
Before UFC 274, Dana White was dead set in making Islam fight Beneil Dariush before he ultimately got his title shot. While some suggest this was a retaliation tactic for volunteering and then backing out as a last-minute replacement against RDA, many are confident it is because a short-notice win over Bobby Green doesn’t warrant a shot at gold.
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Khabib Nurmagomedov agrees to Islam Makhachev facing Charles Oliveira in Brazil
Now, however, the fight seems to be the top priority at Lightweight unless Conor McGregor happens to jump the lines. Oliveira has said that he would let the Irishman do so as he believed he deserves a money fight like everyone else. He has also suggested that it should happen in Brazil. These comments have given Islam’s camp and fans ammo against Oliveira in alleging that he is ducking the Dagestani.
Recently Khabib reaffirmed his belief that his fighter could take on the champion in his hometown and come out victorious. In previous interviews, Khabib has said that Islam will, “Ride Charles like a horse” an apt comparison to the suffocating style of the camp. Today he came out and expressed his confidence that Islam can use Charles’s own tools against him in his own backyard to come out victorious.
“If they say Brazil, we’ll love this. Come to Brazil, fight with Brazilian a champion and finish him with Brazilian Jiu-jitsu” said the former Champ expressing that he and his camp were certainly intrigued by the prospect. “I love this? What do you think about this?” he curiously asked the reporter from AG. Fight.
“I believe Islam can finish him (Charles) on the ground” said Khabib, boasting that his student could get a submission victory over the man with the most submission victories in the UFC.
Oliveira has expressed an interest to fight again this year to regain his lost title and has also accused the Arizona State Athletic Commission of malpractice in the way he was stripped. Islam has called for them to fight in Abu Dhabi on the upcoming October card there. However, it seems Dariush will be the one he faces on the Abu Dhabi card.
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Jerin Mathew
(713 Articles Published)