Islam Makhachev söker avslut i kamp mot Dustin Poirier

UFC-mästaren I lättvikt Islam Makhachev står inför sitt tredje titelförsvar i divisionen. Han möter utmanaren Dustin Poirier i huvudmatchen under UFC 302, vilken går av stapeln den första juni. Makhachev säger sig söka ett avslut i kampen, medan hans coach Javier Mendez hellre ser en fulländad match de två emellan.

Makhachev går för avslut mot Poirier

UFC-mästaren Islam Makhachev (25-1) kommer kliva in i oktogonen under UFC 302. Där skall han försvara sitt bälte mot Dustin ”The Diamond” Poirier (30-8, 1 NC) i vad som blir galans huvudmatch. Båda har visat på en god form i sina senaste oktogonframträdanden, där inte minst Makhachev står ut med tretton raka segrar. Det här är en vinstsvit som han planerar bygga vidare på genom ett avslut mot Poirier.

We will start, and I will try to take him down. He will try to get me in a guillotine choke. I will defend the guillotine. I will give him a couple punches. He will give his back. Then I will finish.

Mendez vill se fem ronder

Makhachevs coach Javier Mendez hoppas dock på att kampen skall bli mer långdragen. Han säger sig vilja se att de två lättviktarna kämpar genom alla fem ronder.

For me, no matter what it is, I always like going five rounds because I don’t like to be missing a beat. Like if I say we’ll win in one round and all of a sudden, we’re going into the second round, my mind is going and I don’t want to lose any thought process in the fight that’s present in front of me because if you miss one little thing, it could cost your fighter.

I always like going five round decision and by us dominating, and I always like doing it that way. I don’t really like the ‘Oh we’re going to stop him in one round, two rounds’ like no; I have respect for Dustin, the great fighter that he is and champion, I would like to see the fight go five rounds.

Honestly, I think it’s an older, wiser and still dangerous as ever Dustin, so we have to be very careful. We play our game and he’s not going to have the kind of chance that people are expecting but if we don’t play our game, it could go bad for us. He’s a spoiler type of guy and dangerous for sure, we’re definitely not looking at him as an easy fight because he’s not an easy fight,” acknowledged Mendez.