Islam Makhachev
The longtime training partner and protégé of undefeated lightweight kingpin Khabib Nurmagomedov, Makhachev might now be the heir to the throne in the 155-pound weight class with “The Eagle” announcing his retirement following his UFC 254 victory over Justin Gaethje.
Sporting an outstanding 18-1 record that includes a 7-1 mark inside the Octagon, the 29-year-old Makhachev has thrived in the understudy role behind Nurmagomedov, gaining valuable experience, sharpening his skills, and meticulously working his way up the divisional ladder. This weekend, he takes a big step forward as he locks up with former lightweight champ Rafael Dos Anjos in his first main event assignment.
Because of their closeness, it’s easy to just cast Makhachev as a “Khabib clone,” but that isn’t the case.
Though Makhachev does bring a similar wrestling base with him into the Octagon, he’s more athletic and fluid in his movements than his mentor, with less brute strength and a lesser propensity to smash. Like Nurmagomedov, Makhachev exhausts opponents by making them repeatedly defend takedowns and try to work back to their feet, pushing an extreme pace and deploying a suffocating top game.
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Nurmagomedov’s standing as a championship threat in the lightweight ranks was bolstered by a dominant effort against Dos Anjos following several impressive victories over solid veterans and now Makhachev looks to chart a similar course here. While the Brazilian veteran is several years removed from his time atop the division and has had limited success as of late, he remains a battle-tested elite competitor and a serious hurdle for Makhachev to clear if he truly wants to follow in Nurmagomedov’s footsteps and one day rule the lightweight division.
