“His striking more advanced,” Javier Mendez reveals who has better striking between Islam Makhachev and Khabib Nurmagomedov
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Javier Mendez compares Islam Makhachev and Khabib Nurmagomedov's striking
Javier Mendez is one of the best coaches in the world. The coach from AKA has been training Khabib Nurmagomedov and Islam Makhachev for the past decade and he reveals who the better striker of the two Dagestanis is.
Islam Makhachev is one of the favorites to be the next UFC champion. The #4 lightweight, like any other fighter from Dagestan is an elite wrestler and arguably has the best ground in the lightweight division right now. Islam is called the successor of Khabib and is believed to have a successful reign in the UFC just like his retired teammate.
Fans and critics have said that Islam is a regen of Khabib given he does not shy away from standing up and having to strike with his opponents, unlike the former champion. Javier Mendez, coach of AKA reveals who according to him is the better striker of the two. Mendez makes an appearance on The Schmozone Podcast to promote his pupil’s fight at UFC Vegas 49 this weekend.
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“He was too loyal to me,” Javier Mendez says Khabib never trained standup with anybody else
“He’s unbelievable on the ground. What I gave him is, the finishing touches, sharpening up his standup,” said coach Javier on his pupil Khabib. “He didn’t train with anybody but me. When he’d go back home I’d get him to train with other people but he wouldn’t do it. He was too loyal to me when it came to standup.”
Islam, burst onto the scene a little late than Khabib despite both being good training partners from childhood. Khabib made his debut in the year 2012 while Islam made his debut in 2015. According to coach Mendez, Islam put in more work when it came to striking which makes him better.
“While Islam was smart. He would train with other coaches so that’s why his striking was more advanced than Khabib’s. Not because Khabib is less talented. He was immensely talented,” said coach Mendez settling the debate of who the better striker between the two Dagestanis is. Watch Mendez talk about Makhachev and Khabib below:
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Prateek Athanur
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