Khabib Nurmagomedov with his coach Javier Mendez
Javier Mendez shuts down comparisons between Khabib Nurmagomedov and Charles Oliveira
The buildup to UFC 280 is intensifying. The main event clash between Charles Oliveira and Islam Makhachev to determine the lightweight champion of the world has got the entire MMA community debating. Both teams have started to promote their champions and make claims about the fight. The latest entrant to join the conversation is Makhanchev’s coach Javier Mendez.
UFC 280: Oliveira vs. Makhachev will take place on October 22, 2022, at the Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. Makhachev is a longtime training partner of former lightweight legend and champion Khabib Nurmagomedov. The UFC modern wing Hall of Famer has never lost a single fight and never been dropped inside the octagon. His dominance in the sport is unparalleled.
Having said that, a lot of comparisons are being drawn between Nurmagomedov and No.1-ranked lightweight contender Charles Oliveira. ‘Do Bronx’ has managed to defeat the names Nurmagomedov beat, faster and more efficiently than the Dagestani according to certain sections of the MMA community.
‘The Eagle’s coach has now come out and lashed at these comparisons, alluding that both fighters cannot be spoken about in the same conversation. Speaking to Submission Radion, Mendez said:
Khabib’s been doing sparring with me in front of my eyes, there has been nobody that’s ever taken a round from him. No one’s ever won a sparring session. Not a sparring session with Khabib ever. Except one man. Islam. He’s the only one that has won rounds from Khabib. Never won a session, but he’s won rounds. And I’ve never seen that.”
“So, obviously when Khabib talks about the next heir, he’s not saying something that he’s trying to make up and make people believe. He knows, like I know, how good his Islam is. That’s why he’s so confident in what he’s saying. Khabib’s not known to say something that he doesn’t mean. And he means it, I mean it. And now it’s time for Islam to go out there and shine and let everybody know what Khabib already knows and I know, that he’s the best right now. He is the best. And we have to prove it and we will prove it.”
Both fighters in the main event of UFC 280 have exceptional grappling skills. Oliveira is the record-holder in the UFC for most submissions while Makhachev is a former combat sambo world champion. There’s a slight edge for Oliveira in the striking department owing to the developments he’s shown in the past couple of fights.
With that in mind, Mendez feels that his pupil is prepared for anywhere the fight goes. Speaking with Submission Radio, Mendez said:
“If Islam doesn’t want to stand, he will not, he’ll be taken down. He is second to Khabib in being able to take people down, and he will go down. Charles will go down. Charles is not known to be a wrestler. Also, keep in mind, Charles has got such a phenomenal jiu-jitsu game. In MMA, in pure jiu-jitsu, he’s probably got the best game in the lightweight division. So, why would he be afraid to go to the ground? He’s not. He wants to test himself there with Islam. And by all means, we’re fine with that too. The bottom line is, the thing about this fight is, wanna stand up? Okay, let’s go. Going to the ground? Okay, let’s go. So, we’ll see who can dominate where when that time comes. But we’re prepared to dominate in the standup, we’re prepared to dominate on the ground. And they are too. They’re well prepared. He’s a champion for a reason.”
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