“There Are No Sambo Moves” – Ugly Reality of Team Khabib and Islam Makhachev’s Wrestling Put on Display by Alexander Volkanovski’s Coach Craig Jones

UFC 294 will see Alexander Volkanovski take on Islam Makhachev as a short-notice replacement for Charles Oliveira. ‘Do Bronx’ had to withdraw from the fight after sustaining a severe cut above his eye during training. Volkanovski, the current UFC featherweight champion, then stepped up to face Makhachev for the second time. Their first fight at UFC 284 saw Makhachev claim a controversial decision win over the Australian.

Now, as Volkanovski aims to become ‘champ-champ’ once again the sparks between the camps are already flying. And Alexander Volkanovski’s grappling coach has raised the stakes for this matchup. In a recent interview, he made some interesting remarks about Makhachev and Khabib Nurmagomedov’s fighting styles. And the insight he provided has added another layer to this highly anticipated matchup!

Islam Makhachev and his fighting style aren’t real according to Craig Jones

Alexander Volkanovski is aiming to become a two-weight class champion at UFC 294. He had previously attempted the same feat when he took on Islam Makhachev at UFC 284. ‘The Great’ put in an impressive performance, surviving the dangerous ground game of Makhachev. He even managed to tag the Dagestani fighter on the feet and landed some heavy ground and pound. However, after 5 rounds, it was Makhachev who walked away with a victory that was considered controversial by the MMA community.

In a recent interview with The MacLife shared on Instagram, Craig Jones, Volkanovski’s grappling coach, spoke about the upcoming bout. He responded to a question about the significance of the fight, considering his previous words about Sambo and the beef between the camps.

Jones expressed skepticism about Sambo’s legitimacy. He stated, “…if by some miracle, Volk gets submitted, I’m going to see what submission it is.”

He then explained further why he thinks that there are no ‘true’ Sambo moves. He stated, “Because let’s say it’s an armbar, that’s a judo move, right? So I don’t see him really having a path to proving Sambo is real because there are no Sambo moves.  There’s only judo, wrestling and jiu jitsu. What would a Sambo move be? Doesn’t exist.”

Jones’ fondness for trolling the Dagestani camp is no secret. He even shared a cheeky moment with Islam Makhachev after UFC 284. In a recent interview on the MMA hour, Jones revealed the origin of his beef with Sambo. And ‘The Eagle’ might be the source of the back and forth according to him!

Craig Jones believes Khabib Nurmagomedov started the debate about Sambo

Khabib Nurmagomedov and Islam Makhachev are both practitioners of Sambo. It’s a Soviet martial art that combines elements from multiple combat sports to form a hybrid style. And it has seen massive success in MMA. ‘The Eagle’ and his  29-0 record is a testament to the effectiveness of the style.

However, Craig Jones revealed in the interview, that his issue began when Nurmagomedov once stated, “if sambo was easy, it would be called jiu-jitsu.” Jones is renowned for his grappling skills and is a two-time ADCC Trials Champion.

He stated, “Khabib started this beef, and in terms of pure grappling matches, there’s not a good sambo guy on earth.” Jones then elaborated further by stating that the skillset from Sambo does translate well to MMA. Nevertheless, when it comes to pure grappling, Sambo isn’t as well-rounded as its practitioners believe.

Read More: Islam Makhachev Confesses on IV Controversy as UFC 294 Rival Alexander Volkanovski Questions Involvement in Controversial Incident – “I Have Many Things Before the Fight”

As UFC 294 approaches, fans will be waiting to see if Jones’s claims hold true. Or if Makhachev will once again shut down Volkanovski’s attempt at greatness. If Jones is right, fans might even get to see if Sambo is real or not!

Do you think Alexander Volkanovski can capture both belts at UFC 294? Share your thoughts in the comments below!

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