Javier Mendez answers if he sees Islam Makhachev vs. Arman Tsarukyan rematch going different from their first fight

Coach Javier Mendez recently discussed how he and Khabib Nurmagomedov plan to prepare Islam Makhachev for his upcoming fight. Makhachev is set to attempt his fourth lightweight title defense against Arman Tsarukyan in a rematch on Jan. 18, 2025. Although he is favored to win, Tsarukyan is regarded as one of the most formidable challengers to his title reign.

In their first encounter in April 2019, Makhachev won by unanimous decision after a closely contested three-round fight. During a recent interview with MMA journalist Helen Yee, Mendez stated the rematch will be different, adding:

"I don't know as to what area is going to be different. It's going to be what he's going to give us that we're going to take. Islam, like I said many times, we can switch him from round to round, minute to minute, second to second, and how he fights..."

He added:

"So Khabib and I would have to assess what Arman comes to the table and we'll have to see what we need to do to adjust. It could be ground or stand-up, doesn't matter... Because Islam can do it all."

Check out Javier Mendez's comments below (13:30):

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Javier Mendez says fans will witness "a new version" of Islam Makhachev and Arman Tsarukyan

Islam Makhachev and Arman Tsarukyan's first fight featured competitive exchanges in both stand-up and grappling. However, at the time, both fighters were still in the early stages of their careers and had not yet reached their physical and mental primes.

In a recent interview with Submission Radio, Javier Mendez encouraged fight fans to "forget about what happened the first time," emphasizing improvements in skills that both men have made since then. He said:

"Arman improved so much. So forget about what happened the first time. That doesn't count at all because this is a new version. Arman's been on a good roll as of late, Islam has got an unbeaten streak of 13-14 fights now."

Check out Javier Mendez's comments below (6:20):

Makhachev vs. Tsarukyan 2 will headline the UFC 311 pay-per-view event scheduled for Jan. 18, 2025. Currently, Makhachev is tied with B.J. Penn, Frankie Edgar, and Khabib Nurmagomedov for most consecutive title defenses (three) in UFC lightweight history. A potential victory over Tsarukyan in his fourth title defense would be a significant milestone for the Dagestani fighter's legacy.