Alkass Digital
The upcoming lightweight title clash between Islam Makhachev and Dustin Poirier is sparking comparisons to Poirier's previous title shot against Khabib Nurmagomedov in 2019. However, Javier Mendez, the head coach of both Makhachev and Nurmagomedov, disagrees with this analysis.
Makhachev (25-1 MMA, 14-1 UFC) aims to defend his title for the third time against Poirier (30-8 MMA, 22-7 UFC) on June 1 in the main event of UFC 302. Despite Makhachev's team's familiarity with Poirier, Mendez sees this fight as a distinct matchup.
"No, this will be very different because Islam is not Khabib," Mendez told MMA Junkie. "They're two different fighters with different styles. The only similarity is their discipline. They both work hard, but their approach to fighting is different.
"Khabib focused more on grappling, which was our strategy. We always encouraged him to take the fight to the ground. With Islam, he's training in various styles, including Muay Thai and boxing with instructors in Dagestan. Khabib never did this; he only trained with me. That's why Islam has evolved so much in striking. Islam can fight in any style he wants, while with Khabib, wrestling was the priority because nobody could handle it, and we knew that.
"Islam is versatile. He can dictate the terms of the fight - how, when, and where he wants to win. We can take the fight anywhere. That's the difference between Islam and Khabib. Khabib's focus was wrestling, but Islam has a broader skill set."
Many believe Makhachev's key to victory lies in wrestling, akin to Nurmagomedov's approach in 2019. Despite Poirier's striking prowess, Mendez believes Makhachev can not only hold his own on the feet but also outclass Poirier.
"Look at what happened against Volkanovski; Islam showed his striking skills," Mendez said. "If people think Islam can only win by grappling, they're mistaken. Islam is capable of fighting in any manner. I won't reveal our fight plan, but rest assured, Islam can excel in striking or grappling. We're prepared for it all."