UFC 311 rivals Islam Makhachev and Arman Tsarukyan inspired name of game-changing MMA technique, says ex-title challenger: "Dagestani handcuffs"

Dan Hardy recently pointed out the origin of the term 'Dagestani handcuff,' a grappling technique primarily used by Islam Makhachev and other Dagestani / Russian grapplers.

On the Jan. 13 episode of 'The Outlawed Picks Podcast', Hardy explained that Paul Felder coined the term while commentating on the UFC Fight Night: Overeem vs. Oleinik event in April 2019, specifically during the third round of Makhachev vs. Tsarukyan fight in the undercard of the event. The former UFC welterweight title challenger said:

"This was the event where [the term] 'Dagestani handcuff' was first used. I watched the fight a few times back, obviously, and there is a point in it where I go to Paul [Felder], 'What's it called, Paul?' and he's like, 'Dagestani handcuff.' And as soon as I heard it, I was like, 'This was the event where he said it earlier in the night. I like that. That's good.'"

Check out Dan Hardy's comments below (1:09:10):

Dagestani handcuff, commonly known as hammerlock, has been a prominent technique in Sambo and amateur wrestling within the Russian combat sports scene for many years. Makhachev's teammate and former UFC lightweight champion Khabib Nurmagomedov played a significant role in popularizing this move in the Western MMA community.

The grappling technique involves the fighter in the top position trapping his opponent's legs with their own. They then use both hands to secure one of their opponent's hands behind their back, exposing the opponent to submissions and ground-and-pound attacks, while rendering them unable to escape. In recent years, the Dagestani handcuff has emerged as a transformative move in the UFC.

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Dan Hardy thinks Islam Makhachev vs. Arman Tsarukyan will mostly lean heavily in one fighter's side - "Almost all the time"

Arman Tsarukyan faced Islam Makhachev in a short-notice UFC debut, losing by unanimous decision despite a strong performance. The pair have been on a collision course since their first fight and nearly six years later, Tsarukyan will challenge Makhachev for the lightweight title at UFC 311 on Jan. 18.

In the aforementioned podcast episode, Dan Hardy noted that both fighters are skillfully matched, with Tsarukyanhaving a slight advantage in kicking. However, he believes Makhachev will continue to edge out the Armenian every time they fight. He explained:

"Overall, I think [Islam Makhachev] is a little bit bigger, a little bit stronger, he can scramble a little bit longer and his wrestling's a little bit better, and he's definitely got more submissions in his arsenal. He's more comfortable at close-range boxing... I feel like it's gonna be a very fun fight... Because they're so closely matched. But I think, almost all the time, Makhachev comes out on the top." [1:14:30]

Heading into the rematch, Makhachev is a -410 favorite while Tsarukyan is a +310 underdog. In the UFC 311: Countdown, Tsarukyan expressed confidence in his ability to beat Makhachev in the rematch. Meanwhile, the champion promised that he would make Tsarukyan "never talk about him again" after Jan. 18.