Stephen Thompson has named three main factors that might assist welterweight contenders remedy the Islam Makhachev puzzle.
Makhachev moved as much as 170 kilos final yr. In his debut, he dethroned Jack Della Maddalena at UFC 322 to grow to be the undisputed welterweight titleholder and in addition regained his pound-for-pound spot.
He’s anticipated to make his first title protection in August in opposition to Ian Machado Garry. Aside from Garry, Michael Morales, Carlos Prates, and Kamaru Usman are additionally within the combine for a title shot.
In the meantime, the 43-year-old Thompson has some recommendation that may assist Makhachev’s future opponents.
Easy methods to beat Islam Makhachev? Stephen Thompson weighs in
Throughout an interview with Full Mount MMA, Stephen Thompson, whereas breaking down 3 components to bear in mind to defeat Islam Makhachev, first pointed to cardio as the largest one. He mentioned:
“Islam is the kind of man to make a battle very, very, very grueling to his opponent, proper? Guys like Islam, guys like Khabib, they attempt to break your spirit… For a coach, their cardio needs to be there. They need to be mentally, bodily, emotionally prepared for probably the most grueling battle ever and have the cardio for it. Sort of like what Strickland did in opposition to Khamzat.”
Makhachev has at all times been recognized for his insane cardio, courting again to his light-weight days. Earlier than shifting as much as welterweight, there have been considerations that including the additional 15 kilos may sluggish him down and have an effect on his fuel tank. However at UFC 322, after a dominant efficiency in opposition to Jack Della Maddalena, Makhachev introduced his arrival within the new weight class in emphatic vogue and left no room for critics.
The second level “Wonderboy” identified is that anybody going through Makhachev should have nice motion and battle IQ. Staying in a single spot for too lengthy makes it simpler for the Dagestani wrestling maestro to shoot for takedowns and attempt to drag his opponent to the bottom. Therefore, to keep away from that, a fighter has to reset constantly. He added:
“Two, you’ve received to be very onerous to hit, very onerous to nail down in a single spot. In the event you stand there lengthy sufficient, they’re going to get to your legs.”
Lastly, in line with Stephen Thompson, the third and most essential factor to bear in mind when going through Islam Makhachev is having efficient close-range putting. “Wonderboy” opined that every time the Russian tries to shut the gap for takedowns or submissions, opponents have to be able to punish him with ‘elbows and knees on the within.’
“After which it’s going to be their final line of protection, their knees and elbows, that close-range putting to make them pay for making an attempt to get on the within… I believe Carlos Prates is superb at that along with his elbows and knees.
Try Stephen Thompson’s feedback about beat Islam Makhachev beneath:
