Islam Makhachev has responded to UFC rival Michael Chandler's criticism ahead of his vacant lightweight title fight.
Chandler detailed his surprise to Makhachev being the betting favourite for his fight with former champion Charles Oliveira at UFC 280 on October 22. The American is baffled that Makhachev is being favoured given the lack of top contender he's beaten on his path to a title shot. Oliveira, who knocked out Chandler to win the 155lb title last year, has beaten former interim champions Justin Gaethje and Dustin Poirier in his last fights.
“Nothing against Islam, you say he looks great, you say he looks unbeatable at times, but he hasn’t really fought anybody,” Chandler told MMA Fighting. “That’s really the truth. He beat No. 14 and then he beat Dan Hooker, who was on a three or four-fight losing streak. I’m not saying that Islam not that good. We just can’t say that he’s that good yet. It’s premature praise.”
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Makhachev has now responded to Chandler's criticism by writing: "Haha, your only two wins in UFC is Hooker who came off of [a] loss, and Tony [Ferguson] who has 5 losses in the row now. Please shut up and stay in line." Chandler has gone 2-2 since debuting for the UFC last year, knocking out Hooker and Ferguson but also losing fights to Gaethje and Oliveira.
Since losing the second fight of his UFC career seven years ago, Makhachev is on a 10-fight unbeaten run with eight of those wins coming by stoppage. The protege of now-retired Khabib Nurmagomedov hasn't fought since submitting short-notice replacement Bobby Green in February after fellow top contender Beneil Dariush pulled out of the fight.
Chandler has favoured Oliveira to win in the striking and grappling exchanges in his fight with Makhachev, adding: “I think Charles is just too slick and he’s going to give him fits on the feet. I don’t think it will be hard to take Charles down, but I think Charles wins the grappling exchanges. To make Islam the favourite in that fight is somewhat crazy.
"Maybe that’s me sticking up for Charles, because watching Charles, seeing what he’s done resurrecting his career, somewhat of a ‘couldn’t be relied on, up-and-down, win some, lose some, journeyman’ to now a very dominant champion on a win streak — he’s definitely one of the best pound-for-pound fighters in the world. I think he goes out there and gets the job done.”
