Ali Abdelaziz answers if Islam Makhachev is the greatest fighter he has ever managed

Dominance MMA CEO Ali Abdelaziz recently answered whether he believes Islam Makhachev is the greatest fighter he has managed so far in his career.

Makhachev is preparing to make his third lightweight title defense when he faces Dustin Poirier at UFC 302 this weekend. The Russian fighter is seeking to retain his title and continue his fine run in the octagon, which currently stands at 13 wins in a row. The 32-year-old also currently holds the top spot in the pound-for-pound rankings.

Abdelaziz, who manages Makhachev, Khabib Nurmagomedov, Kamaru Usman, and Justin Gaethje, among others, recently appeared in an interview with TMZ Sports. During the interview, the award-winning manager was asked to name the best fighter he has managed.

Abdelaziz said:

"Man, listen, they're all great. Kamaru Usman, the things he's done, nobody else has done at welterweight. Khabib, the dominance he had. Islam Makhachev has been the favorite in every fight he has had since he signed with the UFC."

He continued:

"They all dominate, man. They're all great. Khabib is different because he's a big brother to everybody and he's an icon. Kamaru is a superstar. Islam is on his way to becoming an icon and a superstar."

Catch Ali Abdelaziz's comments below (5:03):

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Islam Makhachev addresses heated face-off with Dustin Poirier, reveals they settled their beef soon after

Islam Makhachev recently shared some details behind the heated and intense face-off he shared with Dustin Poirier at the pre-fight press conference.

After a back-and-forth with each other on the mic during the presser, the two lightweight stars took part in their face-off when things suddenly went up a gear. The pair then had to be separated after they each appeared to throw jibes at one another.

Watch the clip here:

Following the altercation, the lightweight champion spoke to Megan Olivi on ESPN MMA and shed some light on the situation. According to Makhachev, the pair buried the hatchet backstage. He said:

"In the press conference, he say some bad words, but today after the official weigh-ins, we all fixed it. He say, 'I don't mean what I say,' but it's okay, we all fix it this morning. I respect him, he's a great fighter. He's a legend. He did a lot of job for this sport, but tomorrow night I have to finish him."

Catch Makhachev's comments below (0:10):