Islam Makhachev's coach names three fights he wants before retirement
Javier Mendez, Islam Makhachev's coach, wants the champion to face Carlos Prates, Michael Morales and Shavkat Rakhmonov before retirement. Prates and Morales, 24-7 and 19-0, contest the interim belt at UFC 336 in 2027, and Makhachev is 29-1.
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Javier Mendez, treinador de Islam Makhachev, traçou o caminho que gostaria de ver na campanha do seu lutador pelo cinturão.
Na visão de Mendez, vitórias sobre Carlos Prates, Michael Morales e Shavkat Rakhmonov sustentariam a tese de Makhachev como o maior lutador de todos os tempos no Ultimate Fighting Championship. Ele fez questão de ressaltar, porém, que a lista é sua preferência pessoal e não reflete necessariamente o pensamento do campeão.
O treinador citou seus três adversários desejados ao falar no Submission Radio, dizendo que defesas contra Prates, Morales e Rakhmonov estão no topo do que quer ver.
“Isso está na minha cabeça, ok? Não na cabeça do Islam; na minha. Eu vou de Prates, Morales, e depois, se o Shavkat voltar, Shavkat, e aí veremos depois disso se ele quiser continuar”, disse Mendez.
Ele também deixou claro que o plano só vale se Makhachev decidir seguir competindo.
“Esses são os três da minha lista de desejos, não da lista de desejos do Islam”, acrescentou Mendez. “Sabe, porque no fim do dia, se o Islam lutar mais uma luta e parar, bem, minha lista de desejos vai por água abaixo.”
Na divisão, Prates e Morales, 24-7 e 19-0 respectivamente, vão disputar o cinturão interino dos meio-médios no UFC 336, em 30 de janeiro de 2027, em Toronto, e o vencedor deve enfrentar Makhachev, que está 29-1, em uma unificação. Rakhmonov (19-0), por sua vez, está sem lutar desde dezembro de 2024 e vem lidando com problemas repetidos no joelho.
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