‘Khabib Would Have to Go Straight to the Grappling’- Khabib Nurmagomedov’s Coach Explains What Would Happen if Khabib Nurmagomedov Faced Charles Oliveira

Javier Mendez is one of the greatest coaches in mixed martial arts history. He’s trained former champions and legends like BJ Penn, Daniel Cormier, Frank Shamrock, and Khabib Nurmagomedov. Mendez, who is one reason behind the massive success Nurmagomedov had during his time as a fighter, believes that ‘The Eagle’ and Islam Makhachev would make light work of Charles Oliveira.

Makhachev is Nurmagomedov’s protégé and many dub him as the next big thing in the UFC’s lightweight division. They believe it is just a matter of time before he gets his hands on Charles Oliveira’s title and then continues to dominate.

During a Q&A session on his YouTube channel, Mendez talked about the matchup between his students and ‘Do Bronx‘. He said, “I know they both would beat Charles, in my opinion, because look, they’re both my fighters… Stylistically wise, Islam could strike, he can kick. Khabib wasn’t a great kicker.”

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“Khabib would have to go straight to the grappling with Charles and probably dominate him there. As a matter of fact, I know he would. I know Khabib would dominate him there, and I kind of feel, my personal opinion, as great as Charles is, I think Islam would dominate him there,” he added.

Makhachev is currently preparing to take on Beneil Dariush at UFC Fight Night 202. The bout will have great implications for both fighters and they would look to get the W and become the next title contender.

Javier Mendez says Khabib Nurmagomedov is the strongest mental fighter

Many in the MMA community consider Nurmagomedov as the greatest MMA fighter ever. There are people who don’t agree with that notion, but the fact is that he is one of the best. He is a former UFC lightweight champion and finished his career undefeated. ‘The Eagle‘ had a 29-0 record when he announced his retirement.

According to his coach, Javier Mendez, the Russian is mentally the strongest fighter he’s ever had. While talking about Poirier catching him with a choke during their title fight, and him getting out of it; Mendez credited it to his mental toughness.

During the Q&A session, he said, “Khabib’s the, he’s the strongest metal fighter I’ve ever had in my whole entire life. And as a result of being that mentally tough, he just refuses to quit. He doesn’t tap, he never taps. He doesn’t get in trouble.”

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Nurmagomedov definitely proved his toughness inside the octagon. He beat some of the biggest names in the sport and never looked in any trouble. Since his retirement, he has invested in multiple business ventures and also owns an MMA promotion called Eagle FC.

Do you agree with Javier Mendez’s statement? How do you see a matchup between Oliveira and Mendez’s students going? Let us know in the comments below!