5 reasons why Islam Makhachev will destroy the winner of Charles Oliveira vs. Justin Gaethje
This past weekend saw UFC lightweight prospect Islam Makhachev pick up his tenth win in a row by defeating Bobby Green by TKO in the first round.
Islam Makhachev’s latest win should put him in line for a shot at the UFC lightweight title at some point in later 2022. However, can he defeat the winner of Charles Oliveira vs. Justin Gaethje?
The answer is almost certainly yes. The Dagestani is the hottest fighter in the lightweight division since his teammate and mentor Khabib Nurmagomedov, and it seems only a matter of time before he claims the gold.
Here are five reasons why Makhachev could destroy either Charles Oliveira or Justin Gaethje.
#5. Islam Makhachev is the most dominant wrestler in the lightweight division
Despite all of the evolution that has occurred in the world of MMA over the past three decades, it’s now pretty clear that the style that allows fighters to be most dominant is wrestling.
A fighter with a high-level wrestling game can essentially choose where a fight takes place. In that sense, it’s hardly surprising that the UFC’s most dominant fighters – names like Georges St-Pierre, Kamaru Usman, and Khabib Nurmagomedov – all had phenomenal wrestling skills.
Right now, there is no more dominant wrestler in the UFC’s lightweight division – if not the entire promotion – than Islam Makhachev.
The stats speak for themselves. Makhachev not only averages 3.41 takedowns per fight, but he also hits his takedowns at an accuracy of 65%. For comparison’s sake, Khabib’s takedown accuracy was 48%.
for @MakhachevMMA. #UFCVegas31Takedown number 1️⃣ for @MakhachevMMA. #UFCVegas31 https://t.co/soO1rwNheE
When you add in the fact that Makhachev has only ever been taken down twice during his UFC career, it’s plain to see that he’s a very special wrestler. Makhachev is capable of landing takedowns from the outside and from the clinch.
That wrestling game gives him a major advantage over Charles Oliveira and Justin Gaethje, as he’s likely to be able to dictate the nature of the fight. Any fighter able to choose his own battleground is always likely to win.