After watching Islam Makhachev at UFC 302, Arman Tsarukyan is adamant he can beat him.
Makhachev (25-1 MMA, 14-1 UFC) retained his light-weight title with a Spherical 5 submission of Dustin Poirier on this previous Saturday’s foremost occasion. Tsarukyan is touted to be the subsequent title challenger, as he’ll look to avenge his UFC debut loss to Makhachev.
Tsarukyan noticed Makhachev decelerate in opposition to Poirier (30-8 MMA, 22-7 UFC), and thinks he’d exploit him if he obtained drained of their struggle. Makhachev confirmed hypothesis that he was battling a staph an infection lower than a month out of the struggle.
“It could be very straightforward struggle for me,” Tsarukyan stated on The MMA Hour. “I might outwrestle him (in) that struggle as effectively as a result of he obtained drained. If you’re drained, you’ll be able to’t do sh*t. Even when you have one of the best abilities on the earth, when you’re drained, you’re performed. All his five-round fights – he obtained drained with Volkanovski, he obtained drained with Dustin, and hopefully it’s going to be my key to win this struggle.
Poirier hung powerful, stuffing a number of takedown makes an attempt and even busting Makhachev open with an elbow. Tsarukyan anticipated Poirier to carry out effectively.
“I wasn’t (shocked),” Tsarukyan stated. “I knew his coronary heart is excellent and I advised everyone it’s like 60-40. All people speak like, ‘Oh, Islam going to win him, one hundred pc. He’s not going to provide him any likelihood,’ however I knew it’s going to be powerful struggle. Dustin, he’s a canine, so I wasn’t like – his defensive wrestling was tremendous good and Islam couldn’t choke him. When he obtained drained within the fifth spherical, yeah, he obtained him.
“It wasn’t his greatest efficiency. He obtained drained and he was gradual. I really feel like Islam doesn’t have excellent conditioning or possibly he obtained sick or no matter. I’m not judging him due to his final struggle, I obtained to observe all his fights and take him critical. He’s No. 1 pound-for-pound fighter. I’m simply going to organize prefer it’s greatest model of Islam Makhachev. Not underestimate him. Dustin can defend his wrestling, I’m going to defend as effectively.”
For extra on the cardboard, go to MMA Junkie’s occasion hub for UFC 302.
Be sure you go to the MMA Junkie Instagram web page and YouTube channel to debate this and extra content material with followers of blended martial arts.