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Makhachev (28-1) is scheduled to defend his Ultimate Fighting Championship welterweight title for the first time against Ian Garry (17-1) at UFC 330 on Aug. 15 at Xfinity Mobile Arena in Philadelphia. While Makhachev is known for his wrestling and grappling prowess and Garry’s main asset is his evasive striking, Mendez claims his pupil won’t be out of his depth on the feet.
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‘People sleep on his striking’: Javier Mendez hails Islam Makhachev’s well-rounded skillset
Makhachev’s striking has developed impressively with time, as he held his own against Dustin Poirier and knocked out Alexander Volkanovski with a head kick. Coach Mendez believes Makhachev doesn’t necessarily need to take Garry down to the canvas to beat him.
While Makhachev will likely have a massive advantage on the mat, Mendez believes the champion can win with his striking alone.
“[Islam] is dialed in as a striker,” Mendez said on the Weighing In podcast. “People sleep on his striking, thinking that he has to take Ian down. He doesn’t have to take Ian down. Is it the better choice? Probably, because we know we’re the better grappler for sure. But do we have to take him down? I’m saying, no, we don’t have to take him down.”
Makhachev recently admitted that he took the safest route to victory in his welterweight title win over Jack Della Maddalena as he was focused on becoming a two-division champion. The Russian recently vowed to take more risks against Garry to look for a finish.
This article first appeared at Recent News on Sherdog.com
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