How Many Languages Does UFC Champ Islam Makhachev Speak?

UFC 302 has the entire world on the tip toes with Islam Makhachev getting ready to defend his UFC lightweight championship belt for the third time and face Dustin Poirier. Boasting a single defeat in his career with 26 fights, the fighter is indeed looking to go for a win and successfully defend his belt. 

However, Poirier is also looking for a victory, with the upcoming fight being his last chance to get the championship belt. Without a doubt, the excitement amongst the fans is palpable. But today, let’s divert our attention from the Octagon and take a look at the Dagestani fighter’s personal life. Did you know that Makhachev was pretty fluent in multiple languages? 

What languages does Islam Makhachev know?

Well, the UFC lightweight champion has accolades that extend beyond the MMA cage. One such commendable accolade is his fluency in three different languages. The first language is, of course, Lak. Lak is the language that the Northeast Caucasian people, inhabiting the central parts of Dagestan, speak. 

The UFC lightweight champion is also fluent in Russian. And the third language is English. In a previous interview, Khabib Nurmagomedov revealed that learning English was indeed of the utmost importance. He claimed that if the Dagestani team wanted to become huge stars, it was the language that they could not escape because that was the only way they could share their messages with the world. Thereafter, Nurmagomedov commended Makhachev and Abu Bakr Nurmagomedov to have the highest fluency in English.

Needless to say, Makhachev seemed to have the qualities of his mentor who himself was fluent in multiple linguistics, viz. Avar, English, Turkish, Russian, and Arabic. Like mentor, like protégé, right?

Makhachev was indeed inclined towards education. After all, his mentor once said that education must be the priority and came before sports on the priority list. This is probably the reason why he hasn’t stopped learning. Surprisingly, he also used his multilingual fluency to diss one of his former opponents. You guessed it! Before the events of UFC 280, Makhachev advised Charles Oliveira to learn English. But let’s see if his ethnicity played a role in his multilingual proficiency.

Ethnicity of the UFC lightweight champion

Makhachev hails from the city of Makhachkala, in Dagestan. Back when Makhachev was born, the city belonged to Dagestan Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic, in the USSR. However, when the USSR dissolved and Dagestan became a part of Russia, Makhachev became a Russian citizen. The mixed martial artist belongs to the Lak community and is, undoubtedly, a devoted follower of Islam. 

No doubt, the fighter has led a harsh life, and because of that, he was able to toughen up and become the champion. When asked about why he was so strong, he commended his genetics and the difficult living conditions of his homeland. Makhachev said, “This labor, building, digging, gathering, breeding livestock, it’s all physical labor. Hard work is in our DNA. Often running up the mountains, sometimes three times a day, working out using stone. These harsh conditions create real men.” 

With the date for his fight against Dustin Poirier right around the corner, the LW champ is indeed doing his best, preparing to claim the victory. However, the outcome of the UFC 302 title fight is something that only time can tell. But it is certain that the entire realm of mixed martial arts would be on the edge of their seats with Makhachev exchanging blows with Poirier in the Octagon.

What are your thoughts on Makhachev’s multilingual proficiency? Do you think he would successfully defend his lightweight belt against Poirier? Let us know in the comments down below.