‘Big’ John McCarthy has revealed the reason why he admires UFC lightweight champion Islam Makhachev.
At UFC 302, Makhachev showcased his well-rounded skills by outstriking Dustin Poirier. However, the highlight of the fight were his submission attempts, according to McCarthy.
Throughout the fight, the lightweight champion demonstrated his grappling prowess by executing multiple takedowns on Poirier and threating with a number of submission attempts, before ultimately leading to a submission victory in the fifth round.
With his recent win against Poirier, Makhachev has finished three out of his last five fights, and that’s what sets him apart from his peers, according to the veteran referee.
“Every time he got a takedown he was going after it,” John McCarthy said. “This is one of the things that I really admire about Islam Makhachev is he doesn’t just take people down and control and sit, he tries to go after submissions, he tries to do something that’s going to finish the fight. That’s what you’re looking for out of a fighter.”
Makhachev is currently on a 14-fight UFC win streak, which is third all-time behind Kamaru Usman MMA’s 15 and Anderson ‘The Spider’ Silva’s 16 consecutive victories.
The Russian will likely get to improve it to 15 wins in a row against Arman Tsarukyan, who interestingly made his UFC debut against the reigning champion and lost by a razor-close decision. The rising contender has come a long way since his defeat and he believes he’s ready to knock Makhachev off his golden perch.
Who should Islam Makhachev fight next?
