WATCH: UFC champ Islam Makhachev submits double leg shooting opponent with INCREDIBLE transition

With 11 official submission-wins and a plethora of unofficial ones, Islam Makhachev is a force to be reckoned with.

WATCH: UFC champ Islam Makhachev submits double leg shooting opponent with INCREDIBLE transition

Islam Makhachev submits a sparring partner (Source: Twitter)

Islam Makhachev is a Russian professional MMA and former combat sambo competitor. He currently competes in the lightweight division of the UFC. Consequently, the #1P4P is the 155lbs king, reigning undefeated. Makhachev is one of the most talked-about lightweights in the promotion. His string of challengers include Charles Oliveira, Justin Gaethje, Dustin Poirier, and even rising contender Arman Tsarukyan. But more than his record or mettle, it is his deadly submission move sets that make him infamous.

One such submission footage went viral with a recently surfaced video. The video shows the Dagestani in a southpaw top-control hold over a sparring partner; probably for an arm guillotine. Makhachev soon crouches and loosens the hold; he switches hands and clinches backward with his opponent. Doing a marvelous over-the-top spin, Makhachev ends up in a mount and initiates a hold yet again. With the opponent tapping out.

YouTube video

Makhachev is the mentee of Khabib Nurmagomedov. The Dagestani waited in the wings till Khabib retired, to take over the UFC’s crowded lightweight title picture. Despite his rigorous methodology, even AKA coach Javier Mendez has time and again detailed what makes Makhachev have an edge over Nurmagomedov. And it’s not just his striking.

FS Video

Both Mendez and ‘The Eagle’ have lauded Makhahchev’s arm-triangle submission win at UFC 280, against Oliveira. In the discussion of the greatest lightweight of all time, the coach has always dubbed him as the #1 lightweight of all time, and rightfully so. Such feats only add to the reason why.

A brief but comprehensive history of Islam Makhachev’s submissions

25-1 Islam Makhachev is probably the biggest name in the combat sports bubble right now. Funnily enough, the fighter has no Octagon nickname, unlike other peers. With mentor Kahbib Nurmagomedov preceding, Makhachev is the next untamable storm with an undefeated reign.

Partly attributing to that reign is his submission skills. On a 13-fight-win streak since his 2015 skid to Adriano Martins last, Makhachev has had many submission wins.

Islam Makhachev is notoriously infamous for submissions
Islam Makhachev is notoriously infamous for submissions (Source: IMAGO/bloodyelbow.com)

For the past year, Makhachev hashed out with featherweight Alexander Volkanovski, on his way to his 2-division glory. In the lead-up, Volkanovski’s BJJ coach Craig Jones has critiqued Makhachev’s win legitimacy on not having many submissions. Funnily enough, both his wins against the opponent were either by decision or TKO.

But everybody knows that to be just bait. His submission win at UFC 280 is a household affair, that won him the 155lbs gold. From UFC 259 – UFC 267, he has had 3 consecutive submission wins. Against Drew Dober, Dan Hooker, and Thiago Moises at UFC Vegas 31.

In his pro-MMA career, Makhachev has 11 submission wins. These have been against the likes of Kajan Johnson, Leo Kuntz, Yuri Ivlev, and others.

With a 5-1 TKO and 11-0 Submission stat, the fighter has skillfully engaged in a plethora of moves. However, triangle chokes, armbar variations, Kimura, and arm guillotines are his go-to preferences.

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