Max Kellerman Makes a Bizarre Claim- Compares Islam Makhachev to Kobe Bryant and Floyd Mayweather

Following his win over Thiago Moises, Islam Makhachev has been garnering a lot of praise, and rightfully so. The lightweight contender is on an eight-fight win streak and has leapfrogged the likes of Rafael dos Anjos and Tony Ferguson to number five in the lightweight rankings. He has put himself in a position to be able to fight in a title eliminator in his very next fight.

On a recent episode of Max on MMA, Max Kellerman shared his thoughts on Makhachev and what he had achieved this past weekend. He said, “He reminds me, in his way, of Floyd Mayweather or Kobe Bryant. The reason I am saying that is, he takes the initiative, even though it is wrestling, and it is not obvious and there is no big thing happening. He is initiating, the other guy is reacting to him.”

Kellerman continued, “And for every reaction, he has a counter. If you try to defend Kobe Bryant he counter, counter, counter. He could keep doing it till he could get himself a shot. Same thing with Floyd, because they have not only put the time in and they have the technique, but they also think faster than the other guy.”

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Is Islam Makhachev a legitimate title contender at 155-pounds?

Earlier this week, Makhachev broke into the top five of the lightweight division for the first time in his career. However, he has beaten no one in the top 10 at lightweight. Therefore, critics argue he does not deserve a top-five ranking, to begin with.

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Makhachev’s next fight will most likely be his toughest test to date. It will be one that will set him up for a title shot. Nurmagomedov’s protege will most likely take on fellow Dominance MMA fighter Beneil Dariush, who is also on an impressive win streak of his own. 

Makhachev is definitely a promising talent and has all the makings of a future champion in the organization. However, he is nowhere close to being as dominant and impressive as his mentor. 

What do you make of Max Kellerman’s comparisons? Let us know in the comments below!