After Khabib Nurmagomedov retired undefeated, Charles Oliveira won the vacant title. However, Nurmagomedov’s protege, Islam Makhachev dethroned Oliveira and now reigns as the pound-for-pound king. Moreover, he has drawn comparisons with Nurmagomedov himself. Daniel Cormier recently made statements comparing Islam Makhachev with Khabib Nurmagomedov.
However, Javier Mendez, the head coach of American Kickboxing Academy, had a different opinion than Cormier, his former student. Mendez holds both Nurmagomedov and Makhachev very dear. However, he made it clear who is more dangerous than the other.
Daniel Cormier picks Islam Makhachev over Khabib Nurmagomedov
Daniel Cormier trained with Islam Makhachev and Khabib Nurmagomedov during his time at the American Kickboxing Academy. Even after retirement, Cormier is still close to the current and former lightweight champions respectively.
In a recent episode of his YouTube show, Funky and the Champ, Cormier compared Makhachev and Nurmagomedov. “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’s even more dangerous than Khabib was during his prime,” said Cormier.
Cormier explained that Conor McGregor and Dustin Poirier were bewildered by the grappling prowess of Nurmagomedov when they fought him. The former double champion believes that Makhachev too has a similar prowess to Nurmagomedov.
Cormier’s comparison came when he and Ben Askren discussed the potential title fight between Poirier and Makhachev. The duo had already raised the heat for the fight via X after Poirier won at UFC 299.
Javier Mendez shares honest opinion on Islam and Khabib comparison
Javier Mendez had a different opinion than his student when asked about the Makhachev-Nurmagomedov comparison in his interview with MMAmania. Mendez, currently in Abu Dhabi, picked Nurmagomedov as the more dangerous fighter.
“He’s more skilled in multiple areas, more dangerous. Nobody’s more dangerous, in my opinion, in the world than him. No, no one. I don’t care, I haven’t seen one that’s more dangerous than Habib,” said Mendez who went on to state that Nurmagomedov had the hardest chin he has ever seen in a fighter.
Mendez admitted that the love for his pupils would make him biased, but he backed his statement with scenarios. Except for the left hook by Michael Johnson that cracked Nurmagomedov, power punchers like Conor McGregor, Dustin Poirier, and Justin Gaethje were unable to hurt him.
“I think DC probably meant more skill-wise, yes, that’s correct, but more dangerous? I don’t think there’s ever been a man more dangerous than Kabib,” Mendez concluded the assessment as he offered a different view of Cormier’s assessment.
Who do you think is more dangerous? Khabib Nurmagomedov or Islam Makhachev? Leave your thoughts below!
