UFC star Islam Makhachev backed as ‘More dangerous’ than Khabib Nurmagomedov: ‘He’s a better striker’
Daniel Cormier thinks Islam Makhachev is more dangerous than Khabib Nurmagomedov was in his prime.
Makhachev is a close friend and training partner of Nurmagomedov and the current UFC lightweight champion. The Dagestani native is coming off a KO win over Alexander Volkanovski back in October which was a statement win.
Since then, Islam Makhachev is looking to return in June, and Cormier believes it will be hard for any lightweight to beat him. Instead, Cormier thinks Makhachev is actually more dangerous than Nurmagomedov was, which is a scary thought for the lightweight contenders.
“Dana [White] came out a couple weeks ago and said that when he talked to Dustin [Poirier] after the fight (against Nurmagomedov), he said he was freaking out or it was Dustin or Conor [McGregor], one of them was freaking out because they said they never thought another man that can do that to them under Khabib,” Cormier said on YouTube channel. “Because of his strength and his control and the way that he manipulated you on the ground.
“I think Makhachev possesses a lot of those same types of qualities. Very similar when he gets you on the ground but because he’s a better striker, I feel he is even more dangerous than Khabib was during his prime,” Cormier added.
Islam Makhachev has shown more of a finishing ability with his hands, as he does appear to have more power than Khabib Nurmagomedov did, which is why Daniel Cormier thinks Makhachev is more dangerous than ‘The Eagle’ was.
Daniel Cormier Believes Dustin Poirier Should Be Next For Islam Makhachev
Islam Makhachev does not have his next title defense booked, but the hope is he will return in June.
If Makhachev does return in June, Cormier thinks Dustin Poirier should be his next title defense after ‘The Diamond’ scored a KO win over Benoit Saint-Denis.
“I feel like it makes sense because if you’re trying to build a star, that star has to go through the previous star,” Cormier said of a Makhachev vs. Poirier title fight. “We saw it happen with Khabib with Conor McGregor. We saw Dustin become a star after beating Conor McGregor. We’ve seen it for as long as we’ve watched sports and sports entertainment because, in the WWF or WWE, you had the established stars, when they were ready to retire, get beat by the new up-and-coming guy. Then they would take that shine. It feels like it makes the most sense because it feels like this is the way to help and further make Islam Makhachev a star.”
For now, however, Makhachev is on the sidelines and waiting for his next fight.
