Khabib praises Makhachev’s preparation for UFC 322

Khabib Nurmagomedov pointed retired that his protégé, Islam Makhachev, is going done 1 of the hardest camps successful his career. Moving up to welterweight requires maximum commitment, and the squad has taken earnestly the mentation for the combat against Jack Della Maddalena, which volition instrumentality spot this Saturday astatine UFC 322 successful Madison Square Garden.

"Like I said, Islam has been astatine the apical of his crippled for 5 years. He's been a lightweight champion, he's been a challenger for a agelong time. People person known him for 5 years arsenic 1 of the best. But JDM is conscionable coming; helium conscionable won the biggest combat of his beingness against Belal (Muhammad), and a batch of radical don't cognize him yet," Khabib said. "But the mode helium showed his skills... I deliberation he's a very, precise hard hostile for us. That's wherefore we've been grooming truthful hard. We finished our past sparring league yesterday. It's been 11 weeks of precise hard preparation."

Readiness to fight

Nurmagomedov added that Makhachev is acceptable and that the squad expects a precise hard fight. "We springiness him the recognition helium deserves and we cognize he's a pugnacious fighter. Islam has ne'er weighed much than 200 lbs (about 91 kg), but the process of 'packing connected the pounds' started close aft his triumph implicit Renato Moicano astatine UFC 311 successful January. Honestly, he's been lifting weights and preparing to determination up to welterweight. He's been gaining value gradually for the past six-seven months; he's ne'er weighed much than 200 lbs."

Khabib emphasized that each aspects of mentation are thorough. "Islam has enactment successful maximum effort. He has trained hard and dedicated, knowing that helium has a pugnacious combat up of him. This is his accidental to amusement what helium tin do, and we are each acceptable to enactment him until the end."

The relation of coaches and mentors successful this process was crucial; Khabib helped Makhachev with his acquisition and proposal to enactment focused and ready. "This is not lone a carnal challenge, but besides a intelligence one. You person to beryllium focused, diligent and cool-headed to instrumentality vantage of each accidental successful the Octagon."

The combat against JDM volition beryllium a existent trial for Islam, but according to Khabib, his protégé has what it takes to look this challenge. UFC fans astir the satellite tin expect a spectacle that volition amusement the spot and readiness of this young welterweight.