Khabib Nurmagomedov’s coach explains why Islam Makhachev is a better ‘student’

Makhachev has emulated his childhood friend Khabib by reigning as UFC lightweight champion

Javier Mendez, coach to Khabib Nurmagomedov and Islam Makhachev, has explained why the latter is a better “student” than his childhood friend.

Upon winning the UFC lightweight title in 2022, Makhachev emulated former champion Khabib, with whom he grew up in Dagestan, Russia.

Khabib held the UFC 155lb belt from 2018 to 2020, retiring unbeaten after a successful title defence against Justin Gaethje. Charles Oliveira won the vacant strap in 2021, and after it became vacant again in 2022, Makhachev submitted the Brazilian to claim it.

Since retiring from in-ring competition, Khabib has worked as a coach – often alongside his former trainer Mendez. The pair coach Makhachev, who was most recently in action in January, retaining his belt with a submission of Renato Moicano.

“The thing about Islam, like I’ve always said: he can change on a dime basically,” Mendez said on the first episode of the Javier & Mo Show, on Friday (14 March).

“We can change him minute from minute, round from round, second from second. He’s that good that he can change and adapt. He’s done it all the time.

“He’s not a Khabib type. Khabib is 50-50 with me; Islam has always been 100 per cent on point, whenever I ask him – or Khabib asks him, or [the other coaches].

“He does it. He’s done what we’ve asked him to do. I’ve never asked him to do something and he didn’t go out and do it. He’s always done it.

“He’s a great student, not a good student. He’s a great student. He listens to all his coaches.”

Nurmagomedov, 36, recorded three successful title defences in the UFC, submitting all three of his challengers: Conor McGregor in 2018, Dustin Poirier in 2019, and Gaethje in 2020.

Khabib Nurmagomedov (left) and Islam Makhachev (Getty Images)

By submitting Moicano, Makhachev recorded a fourth successful title defence at lightweight, breaking a joint-record shared by Khabib. Moicano was stepping in for the injured Arman Tsarukyan on one day’s notice.

Makhachev’s previous wins as champion came against Alexander Volkanovski (twice) and Poirier. The 33-year-old outpointed Volkanovski in their first meeting and knocked him out in their rematch. Volkanovski entered both fights as featherweight champion.

Makhachev’s win over Poirier came via submission, and it is possible that the Russian’s next opponent could be another former foe of Khabib, in the form of Gaethje.

Makhachev celebrates after submitting Renato Moicano in January (Getty Images)

At UFC 313 this month, Gaethje narrowly outpointed Rafael Fiziev for the second time in two years. That result took his record to 3-1 since he last challenged for the lightweight belt; he was submitted by then-champion Oliveira in 2022, following his 2020 loss to Khabib.

However, Makhachev has also been linked to Ilia Topuria, who vacated the featherweight gold in February amid a planned move to lightweight.