By becoming UFC lightweight champion connected Saturday, Islam Makhachev fulfilled a prophecy.
Maybe it was truly conscionable a lifelong person expressing religion and brotherhood, but erstwhile Khabib Nurmagomedov concisely interrupted a Makhachev property league 3 years ago, it felt similar thing acold much consequential. Let's telephone it a coronation-in-waiting.
Nurmagomedov was inactive the champion then, having conscionable defended his 155-pound loop that nighttime astatine UFC 242 with a ascendant decorativeness of Dustin Poirier. Makhachev had competed earlier that aforesaid evening successful Abu Dhabi -- country of this weekend's combat card, excessively -- and besides had enactment connected a thrashing performance. Another thrashing performance. After beating up Davi Ramos to tally his grounds to 18-1, Makhachev was sitting astatine the postfight dais explaining to reporters however he'd got it done.
Until Nurmagomedov entered the scene. The champ was carrying his UFC belt, and helium placed it connected the array successful beforehand of Makhachev, past walked disconnected aft speaking conscionable 2 words.
"Future champ."
Khabib's accent was connected "champ," but the indispensable connection present was the different one. That's thing Makhachev instantly made clear.
"I already waiting erstwhile helium retired," a smiling Makhachev said successful halting English arsenic helium glanced implicit astatine the shiny strap. "I wanna combat for this belt. This my dream."
That imagination came existent Saturday successful the main lawsuit of UFC 280, erstwhile Makhachev upstaged a star-studded combat paper lineup with a stunning second-round submission of Charles Oliveira. It was an accomplishment that someway became adjacent much meaningful erstwhile the coveted loop was wrapped astir the caller champ's waist by a beaming Nurmagomedov, who lifted his person onto his shoulders and paraded him astir the Octagon.
Then Makhachev tried to manus Nurmagomedov the loop that helium had worn until 2 years agone until his abrupt retirement, which fulfilled a committedness Khabib had made to his parent pursuing the decease of his father, Abdulmanap. Back successful their autochthonal Dagestan, the elder Nurmagomedov had coached not conscionable his lad but besides Makhachev, and the caller champ wanted to grant his longtime manager with a touching motion for Khabib, who present serves arsenic his manager and cornerman.
"My loop for my coach, Abdulmanap Nurmagomedov," Makhachev said. "Many years ago, helium told me, 'Just bid hard and you gonna beryllium champion.' And I privation to springiness [Khabib] this belt. His begetter marque me, I know."
Nurmagomedov would person nary of it. "Yours," helium said arsenic helium draped the strap backmost implicit Makhachev's shoulder.
This infinitesimal and each that led up to it signified the brotherhood betwixt these 2 fighters. During introductions for the main event, Nurmagomedov appeared much tense than Makhachev, much tense than he'd ever looked earlier 1 of his ain fights. And erstwhile his person finished Oliveira, the UFC's all-time person successful submissions, with a head-and-arm choke astatine 3:16 of Round 2, the typically stoic Nurmagomedov raced into the Octagon with an ear-to-ear grin to assistance up Makhachev with a carnivore hug that could person squeezed the beingness retired of a lesser man.
But Makhachev was up to the moment, conscionable arsenic helium had been up to everything thrown astatine him during the fight. From the start, helium did not hesitate to onslaught Oliveira, who was coming disconnected consecutive finishes of Justin Gaethje, Poirier and Michael Chandler. And portion the rubric was vacant going into this fight, due to the fact that Oliveira had been stripped aft missing value earlier his May bout with Gaethje, beauteous overmuch the full MMA satellite considered the Brazilian the de facto champ.
And yet this effect benignant of felt predestined. Was it due to the fact that of the endorsement of Nurmagomedov, who has ne'er been known for flights of hyperbole? If Khabib said Makhachev was a aboriginal champ, galore successful the athletics seemed to judge that it indispensable beryllium true. Khabib had repeatedly shown that helium could bash it each wrong the cage. So wherefore uncertainty that helium could divine the future?
Sure, Makhachev had done his portion to amusement himself worthy of accolades. He's been a ascendant unit since helium entered the UFC successful 2015, winning 10n fights successful a enactment going into Saturday. But helium surely did not person the resume to lucifer Oliveira, having ne'er faced anyone connected the level of Gaethje, Poirier, Chandler oregon Tony Ferguson. Yet Makhachev walked into the cage this play arsenic a astir 2-to-1 betting favorite.
And past helium showed why.
It's tempting to statement Makhachev arsenic Khabib 2.0, but that's an oversimplification built connected their friendship, shared heritage, wrestling skills and boundless confidence. But Makhachev has a well-rounded accomplishment acceptable that sets him isolated from each others successful his division. And helium besides has immoderate other promotional musculus successful his corner.
That was evident during Makhachev's postfight interrogation wrong the Octagon. After helium and Nurmagomedov tried to manus each different the rubric belt, Nurmagomedov stepped successful to enactment his friend's accomplishment successful discourse and instantly tried to physique connected it.
"Last mates of years, I told you guys Islam Makhachev is the champion fighter," said Nurmagomedov. "Not successful lightweight -- he's the No. 1 pound-for-pound combatant close now, today."
No. 1 pound-for-pound, already? That is simply a hallowed spot that, successful the ESPN rankings and the eyes of galore others, is occupied astatine the infinitesimal by UFC featherweight champion Alexander Volkanovski, who happened to beryllium sitting cageside astatine Etihad Arena. Nurmagomedov knew this. He wanted to prime a fight, a monolithic fight, for his friend.
"Now is our plan: Fly each the mode to Australia and combat with pound-for-pound king, Volkanovski," said Nurmagomedov.
"Where the abbreviated guy?" said Makhachev. "Where?"
Volkanovski was promptly escorted into the cage, and a planetary superfight was made connected the spot.
Make that 2 superb performances successful 1 nighttime for Team Makhachev.
English (US)