MMA legend Cain Velasquez praised his longtime teammate at American Kickboxing Academy, UFC welterweight champion Islam Makhachev.
Makhachev returns to the Octagon at UFC 330 on August 15 when he battles top contender Ian Machado Garry in his first title defense since winning the UFC welterweight title last year from Jack Della Maddalena at UFC 322
The Russian has won 16 fights in a row and, if he beats Machado Garry, will break the UFC’s all-time win streak record that he currently co-owns alongside Anderson Silva.
With Makhachev being so dominant inside the Octagon, Velasquez had nothing but good things to say about his longtime AKA teammate.
Cain Velasquez Praises Islam Makhachev
Speaking to Red Corner MMA, Velasquez said that Makhachev is a “master” of the sport.
“He’s a special type of athlete, as we all know. He’s one of those guys at the pinnacle of this sport. I talk with Javier (Mendez) all the time, and Islam and those guys are always doing great. They’re in great hands. Javier is the one who builds champions,” Velasquez said (via MMAjunkie.com).
“He’s a master at what he does, so he’s always with those guys. He’s always with Islam. They’re in great hands. They’re getting exactly what they need as far as the fighting and training goes. I see Islam just continuously doing what he’s doing, and that’s winning impressively. He’s somebody who’s mastered all aspects of MMA.”
Islam Makhachev Favored to Beat Ian Machado Garry
When Makhachev steps back into the Octagon against Machado Garry, he will be a -300 betting favorite to defend his title.
As good as Machado Garry is, and as confident as the title challenger is heading into UFC 330, it’s very difficult to bet against someone who has won 16 fights in a row and who holds a 17-1 UFC record.
Machado Garry holds several advantages in terms of his height, length, and reach, but Makhachev has elite grappling skills and is a good striker in his own right. It’s going to be fascinating to see how this fight plays out, but either way, Makhachev’s place in UFC history books has already been written.
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