December 18, 2024 11:20 am ET
As he did with Alexander Volkanovski, Islam Makhachev desires to depart little question who the higher fighter is when he rematches Arman Tsarukyan.
The UFC light-weight champion makes an attempt to defend his belt for a fourth time Jan. 18 in the primary occasion of UFC 311 in Inglewood, Calif.. This bout between Makhachev (26-1 MMA, 15-1 UFC) and Tsarukyan (22-3 MMA, 9-2 UFC) is a rematch 5 years within the making, as the 2 fought in April 2019. The combat gained the Battle of the Evening award.
Now combating for a title, Makhachev doesn’t solely wish to defend his belt. He additionally desires to cease Tsarukyan and never go to resolution, so he can silence any doubters.
“Perhaps I underestimated him as a result of it was brief discover and no person is aware of him, and he don’t have title,” Makhachev advised ESPN. “I by no means watched his fights. He did properly in that combat, however I’d like to complete all of the questions, you understand?”
“With Volkanovski (rematch) I advised everybody I needed to shut and end the questions and get the end. That’s why within the second combat. I’m going to be on the lookout for the end and make everybody shut up.” Makhachev just isn’t keen on rematches. Nevertheless, detractors say Tsarukyan may’ve crushed Makhachev in 2019 if he had a full camp they usually count on him to dethrone the champ within the first UFC pay-per-view of 2025. That’s why Makhachev likes this matchup.
“Actually, I prefer to combat a second time,” Makhachev stated. “I don’t like rematch, however after I combat second time, I do know all the things that my opponent can do and isn’t going to be shock for me. Typically when anyone like Dustin did, defends wrestling, and he like defends my submission abilities it a little bit bit surprises me. However after I know what my opponent going to do I’ve extra choices.”
Tsarukyan earned his title shot when he defeated former champion Charles Oliveira in a title eliminator bout at UFC 300 in April. It was an in depth combat that went to a cut up resolution and had Tsarukyan in some shut calls on the bottom. This provides Makhachev confidence he can submit Tsarukyan.
“Charles each spherical nearly completed him,” Makhachev stated. “Do some guillotine, do some triangle choke. Every part very shut. I believe I’ve extra likelihood.”
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