Light-weight champion Islam Makhachev places his title on the road within the UFC 311 principal occasion on Saturday and will make UFC historical past with a win.
Makhachev is tied together with his coach Khabib Nurmagomedov, B.J. Penn and Benson Henderson for essentially the most UFC light-weight title battle wins (4). With a victory, Makhachev woul arguably be the best light-weight within the promotion’s historical past.
Standing in the way in which of Makhachev sitting atop the UFC light-weight report books is a rematch with Arman Tsarukyan. Tsarukyan and Makhachev first fought in July 2019. It was Tsarukyan’s octagon debut whereas Makhachev had six fights within the group underneath his belt. Makhachev defeated Tsarukyan through unanimous choice and 6 fights later he’d be the UFC 155-pound champion.
For the reason that loss to Makhachev, Tsarukyan went on to win 9 of his subsequent ten fights. He’ll enter the title bout using a four-fight successful streak together with knocking out Beneil Dariush in 64 seconds and narrowly defeating former champion Charles Oliveira to earn the UFC 311 title shot.
Former featherweight titleholder Max Holloway weighed in on the UFC 311 principal occasion rematch on his YouTube channel and located it onerous to select towards the champion.
Associated: Robert Whittaker offers his UFC 311 principal occasion prediction
“Islam vs. Arman, that is going to be a enjoyable battle. It is a rematch. I’ve acquired nothing however respect for the 2 dudes. Nice fighters. Good fighters,” Holloway mentioned. “All I’ll say is, it is onerous to wager towards Islam. It is onerous to wager towards the champ, particularly in his for as of late. He is not solely been counting on his grappling, he is been exhibiting us that he is been working onerous on his putting.”
“You have to respect his wrestling. You have to respect the bottom, so together with his putting getting higher he is hanging in there with you in putting. You are nervous about being taken down as a result of he is so robust and his grappling is so nice that it is robust.”
Whereas Tsarukyan was capable of take Makhachev down of their first assembly on brief discover, Holloway pointed to the marked enhancements by the champion during the last six years.
“Arman can end Islam. Islam can end Arman. Does this battle get a end? I do not know,” Holloway mentioned. “I feel it’ll have nice putting exchanges and actually, actually, actually good grappling exchanges.”
“If I needed to wager cash, it is onerous to go towards the champ. I feel Islam takes this one,” Holloway continued. “I feel Islam, if he would not win all 5 rounds, I feel he will get 4 decisively… And I feel he will get a call right here.”
