Khahib offers Volkanovski tips, gives away Makhachev’s game plan
Khabib Nurmagomedov gives some training advice to UFC champion Alexander Volkanovski.
Shelved UFC star Conor McGregor recently offered some unsolicited advice to Alexander Volkanovski, who is looking like he’s headed for a lightweight title bout against newly-minted champion Islam Makhachev. Via Twitter, “The Notorious” told the reigning featherweight titleholder and pound-for-pound king to “aim to head butt the chest cavity.”
Likewise, Makhachev’s long-time training partner Khabib Nurmagomedov offered some of his tips. In his post-UFC 280 conversation with ESPN’s Brett Okamoto, “The Eagle” pretty much offered a cheat sheet to Volkanovski in terms of approaching the potential fight.
“Let him prepare this. Clinch wrestling. Like freestyle wrestling, Greco Roman. Grappling. Thai clinch, left hand. Volkanovski, we respect you, but we’re gonna take your place, brother.
“You are pound-for-pound number one right now, but Islam want to be on your side. You have to prepare.”
Just like his “mystic” rival, Khabib has so far done well in terms of his predictions on how fights will go down. In terms of the possible Makhachev-Volkanovski pairing, this is what he had to say.
“Clinch, lotta knees. He’s gonna eat lotta knees. He’s gonna take his all energy, take him down, and he’s gonna choke him out. This is what I think. This is the way how I see how’s fight gonna go.
“Of course, Volkanovski can box. He have amazing experience. How many time he defend his title?
“Thai clinch gonna kill him. Even if he know this… let him prepare this. How many month? Five month, six month? (Islam’s) doing this 20 years.”
Makhachev’s win over Charles Oliveira over the weekend extended his win streak to 11 as he improves to a record of 23-1.