Islam Makhachev receives praise for UFC 322 win from Georges St-Pierre
UFC welterweight champion Islam Makhachev has received praise from UFC legend Georges St-Pierre for his recent world title triumph.
At UFC 322, Islam Makhachev joined a rare group of fighters who have been able to win belts in two different weight classes. He defeated Jack Della Maddalena in what turned out to be a pretty one-sided performance, and in doing so, he established himself as one of the all-time greats – alongside the likes of Georges St-Pierre.
GSP knows a lot about fighters from Dagestan, especially after years of being linked with a fight against Khabib Nurmagomedov. Of course, Islam Makhachev is carving his own path, and winning a world title at welterweight is something that Khabib didn’t even attempt during his career.
In a recent interview, St-Pierre couldn’t help but defend Islam Makhachev against those who have been criticizing his performance, suggesting that it was boring.
Georges St-Pierre praises Islam Makhachev
“I was there, I witnessed his performance last Saturday. It was freaking brilliant. Unbelievable.
“I don’t think he even took a punch. It’s unbelievable.
“A lot of people who were there said, ‘Oh, yeah, it was a decision.’ People who say that, I’m sorry, because they don’t know the art of fighting. They have no idea. They don’t understand the art of fighting.
“His performance was freaking amazing. Yeah, the fight was not a flawless victory with a crazy submission or knockout. But going up a weight class and beating Jack Della Maddalena like he did is freaking hard.”
Quotes via Bloody Elbow
GSP knows greatness when he sees it, and you can bet that he would have loved to get in there with Makhachev in his prime. Alas, Islam is busy handling business right now, and regardless of who is next for him, you can bet he will be as prepared as he’s ever been.
