Islam Makhachevs coach Javier Mendez tror att adepten och Alexander Volkanovski kommer att mötas igen i framtiden.
Islam Makhachevs tränare imponerad av Alexander Volkanovski
Denna helg besegrade Makhachev vid UFC 284 Alexander Volkanovski via enhälligt domslut och behöll därmed sin lättviktstitel. Trots den enhälliga domslutssegern var fighten dock riktigt jämn vilket många inte trodde på förhand. Makhachevs coach Mendez medgav att Volkanovski var den tuffaste motståndaren i adeptens karriär hittills.
Mendez sade följande till Submission Radio:
It was definitely a challenge. Alex, he actually became the challenge Khabib [Nurmagomedov] told me that he was gonna be. He felt that Alex was gonna be the toughest challenge for Islam, and that Islam was gonna have to grind it out through the end. That’s what he felt. And I said, well, I didn’t know, cause the way I looked at Islam, he looked fantastic in training. But Khabib had a feeling that it was gonna be a tougher fight than I anticipated myself. So, it was exactly what Khabib thought it was. It was a real tough fight. We got pound-for-pound for a reason, but we beat it from a guy that is the greatest of all-time in the featherweight division and one of the greats of all-time, he’s gonna be, no doubt.
Säker på att rematchen blir av
Efter förlusten ville Volkanovski ha en rematch då han ansåg sig vunnit tre av ronderna men en omedelbar returmatch verkar osannolik. Istället verkar Volkanovski vara nu tänkt att möta interimmästaren Yair Rodriguez och sätta fjäderviktstiteln på spel. Mendez säger dock att det kommer bli en rematch mellan Makhachev och Volkanovski till slut.
I definitely think the UFC is gonna want to see a rematch, so I don’t see no reason why they wouldn’t do a rematch. I think it would be great. I think the fans would love it. I think Islam would be down for it also. And obviously Alex is. Because, I mean, come on now, he calls himself Alexander the Great, and he lives up to that name. So, there’s a reason — and he’s such gentleman. He’s a competitor. He feels he won, but that’s the way you’re supposed to feel. And he’s got the right attitude, and yeah, I think at some point they probably will do a rematch.
Det återstår att se när returmatchen äger rum men Mendez är säker på att vi då kommer få se en annan match än den i helgen.
When they collide again it’s gonna be a different fight, different adversity for both sides. It’s not gonna be easy for both sides. No way. But let’s see what happens. Let’s see what’s in the cards. I’m sure Yair has got the next calling, and let’s see what happens from there.
Mendez tränade även Khabib Nurmagomedov under dennes aktiva karriär.
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