Former rival breaks down where Islam Makhachev falls short of "prime" Khabib Nurmagomedov: "It's possible to outsmart him"

UFC lightweight contender Arman Tsarukyan recently shared his thoughts on his former rival Islam Makhachev and where the 155-pound king fell short of Khabib Nurmagomedov's greatness.

Nurmagomedov is widely considered among the greatest MMA fighters ever to grace the octagon and is known for his dominant reign as lightweight champion. After 'The Eagle' retired in October 2020, he took on a coaching role for his protege Makhachev and notably helped his childhood friend capture the 155-pound title against Charles Oliveira in October 2022.

Given Makhachev's grappling prowess and dominance as a fighter, many have compared the reigning lightweight champion to Nurmagomedov, with several discussions revolving around the hypothetical outcomes of a potential fight between the two Dagestani fighters.

With Makhachev expected to face Tsarukyan in a title rematch soon, 'Akhalkalakets' recently broke down the difference between his old rival and Nurmagomedov. During an interview with Red Corner MMA, Tsarukyan explained why Makhachev wasn't at "prime" Nurmagomedov's level and said:

"Islam is good everywhere, but it's not that there is an aspect where you can't outsmart him. At boxing, kickboxing, wrestling, and on the ground. You just need to be ready for everything, unlike prime Khabib.

"He was so good at wrestling that it would've been really hard to beat him in that area. So you would've had to work on your wrestling defense and striking, it would have been pointless to try and outwrestle him."

Watch a clip from the interview below:

Watch the full interview below:

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UFC lightweight previews potential Islam Makhachev vs. Arman Tsarukyan fight

UFC lightweight contender Matt Frevola recently shared his thoughts on a potential Islam Makhachev vs. Arman Tsarukyan title rematch. 'The SteamRolla' believes their rematch could end differently and opined that Tsarukyan could get the job done against the Dagestani grappling savant.

In their first clash at UFC Fight Night 149 in April 2019, Makhachev defeated Tsarukyan via unanimous decision after three rounds of action. During an interview with Home of Fight, Frevola pointed out that Tsarukyan pushed Makhachev's limits in their first fight despite accepting the challenge on short notice. He continued:

"Their first fight was insane, and Arman was so young, and he took it on short notice. So, I think the rematch is definitely gonna be a fun fight, and I think Arman could get it done, but Islam is definitely one of the best in the world, pound-for-pound."

Catch Matt Frevola's comments below (16:24):