Why Does UFC Champ Islam Makhachev Not Have a Nickname?

UFC 302 has the entire world of mixed martial arts on the edge of their seats as Islam Makhachev gets ready to take on Dustin Poirier in his third title defense. The current UFC LW champion is expecting to extend his winning streak to 14 fights. On the other hand, ‘The Diamond’ plans to win the championship belt, claiming that this would be his final attempt at doing so. Needless to say, Poirier is going to use all the weapons he has in his arsenal. Coming from Khabib Nurmagomedov’s team, the MMA world seemingly has high hopes for Makhachev.

If he wins this upcoming bout, he will match the number of his successful title defenses with that of his mentor. However, Makhachev’s desire to move up to the welterweight division and become the double champion shows his intention of surpassing Nurmagomedov. Despite his big dreams and huge stardom, Makhachev does not have a moniker and the reason behind the same is interesting. 

Coach reveals why Islam Makhachev doesn’t have a nickname

The first thing that strikes the fans’ minds is Islam Makhachev does not have a moniker. To add on top of that, the UFC lightweight champ does not even have a tagline. As if to save the MMA fans from further headaches, the founder of the American Kickboxing Academy, Javier Mendez, dropped the reason behind Makhachev cruising through the world of mixed martial arts without a nickname and tagline. 

In an appearance on Ariel Helwani’s talk show, ‘The MMA Hour’, Mendez revealed that Makhachev was on a different path, even though many fans have speculated that he was Nurmagomedov’s second coming. Trying to create his own identity, Makhachev has given up on the idea of having a moniker. But it’s not like people haven’t tried to give him a nickname. Mendez recounted, “He doesn’t have a nickname and he never wanted a nickname. I tried to nickname him one time and Islam said, ‘No, coach, my name is Islam,’ and I said OK.”

Mendez revealed that Makhachev never intended to copy Nurmagomedov from the very beginning. He didn’t even feel pressured to do so, as he was out to create his own identity. The coach claimed that Makhachev and Nurmagomedov were complete opposites. Talking about the champ’s interests and what he does outside the cage, Mendez revealed, “He doesn’t have great lines that he says. Islam is not out there doing what Khabib does. They’re complete opposites. Islam is an adventure type guy.”

Despite their differences, the MMA community has often considered the two to be alike. However, Dustin Poirier once compared Makhachev and Nurmagomedov.

The UFC LW Champ compared to Khabib Nurmagomedov by Dustin Poirier

UFC 302 is, in fact, not the first title shot for Poirier as he has also gone against Makhachev’s mentor and coach, Khabib Nurmagomedov. With his experience against ‘The Eagle’, ‘The Diamond’ made a comparison between Nurmagomedov and his protégé in an episode of ‘The MMA Hour’. He claimed that Makhachev’s submission game was more versatile than Nurmagomedov’s. 

According to Poirier, Nurmagomedov had some chokes in his arsenal that he executed pretty well. On the other hand, Makhachev often tried to put himself in positions that would let him execute stuff like armbars. He didn’t care if he lost a position because he had immense faith in his wrestling prowess. Also, Makhachev’s striking game was better than that of his teammate. And as fans, all we need to do is wait to see if Poirier’s analysis helps him in getting a win in the upcoming fight.

Who do you think will claim victory at UFC 302? Will it be Dustin Poirier or will Makhachev successfully defend his title for the third time? Let us know what you think in the comments below.