Ali Abdelaziz reveals not even Khabib Nurmagomedov could submit Islam Makhachev in training

Ali Abdelaziz recently underscored how great of a grappler Islam Makhachev is. According to the MMA manager, not even Khabib Nurmagomedov was able to get Makhachev to tap out in training.

Much has been said about Makhachev becoming the 2.0 version of Nurmagomedov. Abdelaziz, who has been privy to some of the behind-the-scenes events at the American Kickboxing Academy (AKA), claimed that Makhachev is as good as his staunchest supporters say.

During an interview with ESPN MMA's Marc Raimondi ahead of UFC 280, the Dominance MMA CEO said:

"Brother, I know Islam for almost 10 years. I trained with him in the gym. I've seen him spar with the best guys. He was the best striker. I've seen him grapple with ADCC world champions. I never see this guy getting taken down in the gym and getting submitted in the gym by anybody. Nope! Not even by Khabib."

Abdelaziz was also asked who usually comes out on top when Makhachev and Nurmagomedov lock horns during practice. He responded by saying:

"It's a stalemate. They've been training with each other since they were kids. It's a stalemate. Listen, Khabib is Khabib – he's ferocious, his pressure [is] non-stop. He doesn't get tired. [Islam Makhachev] is more [of] a technician."

Check out the interview below:

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Ali Abdelaziz outlines Charles Oliveira's path to victory against Islam Makhachev

Ali Abdelaziz firmly believes that Charles Oliveira won't be able to put up a competitive fight against his client Islam Makhachev.

While he acknowledges Oliveira's skills and accomplishments, Abdelaziz is convinced that the young Dagestani will thoroughly dominate the former lightweight champ come fight night.

The only way Oliveira can win, according to Abdelaziz, is if he can catch Makhachev with a "lucky" knockout punch:

"In reality, Charles is a great fighter... He's a risk-taker. He's exciting, but at the end of the day, it's about winning. Can Islam win? Honestly, like humbly, I respect Charles Oliveira and I respect his team. [But] I think Islam is gonna dominate him. I don't think it's even gonna be a close fight. On paper, the only way Charles Oliveira can win is if he catches him with a lucky punch."

Charles Oliveira and Islam Makhachev will square off in the main event of UFC 280. The highly anticipated event will take place on Saturday at the Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates.

Viewers in India can watch the LIVE coverage of UFC 280 on SONY TEN 2 (English), SONY TEN 3 (Hindi) & SONY TEN 4 (Tamil & Telugu) channels at 11:30 pm IST on October 22, 2022.