- Daniel Cormier said Islam Makhachev performed well against Dustin Poirier at UFC 302 but some people always expect more
- DC wants fans to understand that Makhachev is not Khabib Nurmagomedov
Daniel Cormier believes Islam Makhachev has been dealing with the pressure of having to achieve what Khabib Nurmagomedov did when he doesn’t really have to.
Islam did great against Dustin
Speaking to Xtra MMA, DC praised Makhachev for pulling off a remarkable performance against Dustin Poirier at UFC 302. Cormier then pointed out that Makhachev would’ve still won even if the fight went to distance.
“I thought he did good. Look, one of the things about Islam is you become a victim of expectation, right? He got a finish, but if he didn’t finish him, he would have won that fight at least four rounds to one. That’s a pretty dominant performance because he’s been so good for so long, people are like, ‘Oh, well, there were some moments where Dustin had moments,’ so they think that it was something different but Islam fought great.”
“He showed that he can strike with a very dangerous striker and he was able to get a finish when he needed,” he added.
Islam deserves credit for his own achievements
Cormier further explained that people should start realizing that Makhachev is different from Nurmagomedov. That said, they should respect the legacy that Makhachev has been building for himself.
“So, I thought he did well. I thought Dustin did well but I think he [Islam] falls victim to expectation,” Cormier said. “He’s not Khabib. Khabib was just so outwardly dominant that you never saw him struggle. So, people think to expect the same thing from Islam and nobody’s Khabib.”
As it stands, Makhachev already has three successful title defenses to his name. One more title fight victory and he would surpass Nurmagomedov in total title defenses in the UFC.
Makhachev plans to fight one more time before the year ends and with the favorite title contender Arman Tsaraukyan suspended, Charles Oliveira and his team are hoping to be called up.
Watch Cormier’s full interview below:
