"Beating Conor isn't gonna create the legacy he wants" - Islam Makhachev vs Conor McGregor broken down by coach Javier Mendez
Islam Makhachev's victory over Alexander Volkanovski at UFC 294 last month stunned many who watched.
While Makhachev entered the fight a -340 favorite, owing largely to 'The Great' accepting the clash on 11 days' notice, no one would have foreseen the finish that followed.
Makhachev landed a superb head kick in Round 1 that wobbled Volkanovski before finishing him on the ground, establishing the lightweight champion as the rightful heir to the throne.
In the aftermath of UFC 294, former teammate of Islam Makhachev, Daniel Cormier, suggested that Conor McGregor will fight him next. Cormier believes that it's the biggest fight Makhachev could have.
Whilst the fight would likely be an enormous financial success, head coach of the American Kickboxing Academy, Javier Mendez, doesn't believe a win over McGregor does anything for the legacy of his student.
During a recent interview with Red Corner MMA, Mendez was asked to share his thoughts on Islam Makhachev vs Conor McGregor and he said:
"It would be interesting for Islam, because he gets to do what Khabib didn't finish. He gets to come back and get on the same journey Khabib did, and it's a great payday for Islam. I think it's great if Islam wants it. If he doesn't, then maybe going for the welterweight title is more appealing to him to create a legacy he wants. 'Cause beating Conor is not gonna create the kind of legacy that Islam wants."
Watch the video below from 11:45:
Alexander Volkanovski's teammate reveals Islam Makhachev severely damaged his leg after UFC 294
Islam Makhachev and Alexander Volkanovski faced off in the main event of UFC 294 last month.
Given the competitive nature of their first clash at UFC Perth in February, excitement ahead of the rematch was at an all-time high.
But Makhachev made quick work of his opponent, landing a head kick in the first round that signaled the beginning of the end for Volkanovski. The lightweight champion proved he could compete with MMA's best strikers on the feet, a claim Islam Makhachev had made for years.
Following the clash, Craig Jones, a teammate of Alexander Volkanovski, revealed that Makhachev may have suffered serious damage to his leg from the head kick. Jones said:
"He was actually limping on his leg. I think he might've broken his leg or something when he kicked Volk's head... His leg looked quite injured, so I said to Volk, 'Man if you ate that, you had [the fight] in the bag, he had a broken leg.' You know what I mean."
Watch the video below from 26:35: