"This is lucky punch 100%" - Islam Makhachev looks back on his loss to Adriano Martins in 2015
Islam Makhachev harked back to his lone MMA defeat and claimed it was because of a “lucky punch” from his opponent. Additionally, Makhachev indicated that Adriano Martins, the fighter who handed him the defeat, hasn’t won a bout ever since.
Speaking to Daniel Cormier on an edition of The DC Check-In featured on Cormier’s official YouTube channel, Islam Makhachev opened up on multiple topics. DC, a longtime teammate and friend of Makhachev’s at American Kickboxing Academy, notably addressed the Dagestani fighter’s lone MMA loss.
Cormier asked Islam Makhachev what he changed after the defeat to amass the incredible eight-fight win streak he’s currently on. Makhachev responded by stating:
“Yeah, before this [Adriano Martins] fight, I think, DC, nobody can stop me. I can do whatever I want. But this is MMA; small gloves. It’s very dangerous because, you know, because [with] small gloves, every punch is gonna be very dangerous. That’s why I’m changing a lot after this fight. But this is lucky punch 100 percent. If you see now this guy career, he win, [but] after this fight, he never win. He have five or six fight lose streak.”
You can watch Islam Makhachev’s conversation with Daniel Cormier in the video below:
Will Islam Makhachev’s striking prove to be his undoing yet again?
The vast majority of MMA fans and experts have consistently maintained that Islam Makhachev’s striking could prove to be his Achilles’ heel, as it did against Adriano Martins at UFC 192 in October 2015.
Islam Makhachev, akin to his childhood friend and longtime training partner Khabib Nurmagomedov, has been the recipient of harsh criticism regarding his striking skills.
That said, Makhachev’s overall MMA skill-set has proven to be more than enough to carry him to the No. 5 spot in the UFC lightweight rankings.
In 21 pro MMA bouts, Islam Makhachev has amassed a record of 20 wins and just one loss. His first-round KO loss to Adriano Martins came relatively early in Makhachev’s UFC run.
Islam Makhachev is expected to face Dan Hooker at the upcoming UFC 267 pay-per-view on October 30.
Hooker is regarded as one of the lightweight division’s most dangerous strikers, and many believe that a win over him would surely add Makhachev’s name into the title mix.