UFC 311 mailbag: Where do Islam Makhachev and Merab Dvalishvili belong on the list of GOATs?

UFC 311 is within the books and the champions stay the identical.

On Saturday, Islam Makhachev and Merab Dvalishvili retained their titles, defeating Renato Moicano and Umar Nurmagomedov, respectively. For Makhachev it was one other sensational efficiency towards a late alternative, whereas for Dvalishvili it was a show of simply what makes him nice, and a chance to show the doubters fallacious.

So after such nice performances, let’s discuss each males and their legacies within the sport.

Islam Makhachev

“With Islam and 155, are we on the level of semantics together with his all time putting? Khabib is healthier (we expect) as a fighter, however Islam is now better by advantage of accomplishment. Islam’s 1 loss outweighed by the additional title protection form of factor. Additionally, if not Arman, who subsequent?”

There’s so much to unpack with Islam following his win on Saturday, however let’s begin with the assertion that Khabib Nurmagomedov is healthier than Islam, as a result of I don’t assume that’s true. Sure, as coaching companions it was clearly established Khabib was the superior fighter, however that was pre-prime Islam versus peak Khabib. I consider there’s a very severe query as to who’s the “higher” fighter if you happen to’re matching peak for peak. Khabib is the extra explosive and highly effective athlete, however Islam is extra technically refined and positively has a extra various set of expertise. If I needed to guess, I’d really enterprise that Islam is the higher of the 2.

However, it’s fairly clear to me that Khabib is the extra completed of the 2, a minimum of for the time being. Going undefeated is clearly an unimaginable feather in his cap, however greater than that it’s the standard of his title reign. Khabib beat three champions whereas holding the belt, and did so dominantly. In distinction, Makhachev’s defenses are two towards a featherweight (sure, a pound-for-pound nice however nonetheless) with a kind of being on quick discover, a past-his-prime nice who Khabib beat higher, and now a top-10 light-weight who was additionally on quick discover. It’s not Makhachev’s fault issues broke like this, however it’s not the identical high quality by an extended stretch.

On high of that, “greatness” can also be about narrative. The one loss issues, the truth that he was secondary to Khabib after they had been on the similar health club issues, and Khabib serving because the vanguard and figurehead of the Dagestan takeover issues. All of that tilts the light-weight GOAT argument in favor of Khabib. However that doesn’t imply he’ll all the time have it. Setting the document for light-weight title defenses, in my thoughts, formally strikes Islam previous B.J. Penn into the No. 2 spot and opens the ground for dialogue. If he picks up one or two extra, Islam will take the belt.

So far as who’s subsequent, my guess is Charles Oliveira? I don’t adore it, however Oliveira is the No. 2 man and coming off a win. Plus, he was alleged to get a rematch however then Tsarukyan’d himself out of it, so now they will try this. It’s battle and actually, it doesn’t actually matter. I simply wish to see the perfect fighter on the planet proceed to battle high opposition.

Selecting Nits

“When Makhachev will get nuked by a related light-weight, how indignant will folks be wanting again on his title reign?”

Sir, we will all the time critique a title reign (and I believe we must always!) however let’s be just a little wise about issues. It’s not like Makhachev has been smashing cans. Makhachev has wins over 5 of the light-weight top-10 proper now, plus a pair of wins over the No. 11 pound-for-pound fighter in Alexander Volkanovski. The circumstances will not be optimum however these are related lightweights. Islam simply occurs to have his profession coincide with a interval the place the highest of his division is populated with quite a lot of outdated names. Jon Jones had the identical factor occur. Typically it’s simply how the cookie crumbles.

Moreover, what light-weight goes to nuke him? Renato Moicano is a rattling good fighter and he lasted solely barely longer than you or I might have. Arman Tsarukyan is the perfect hope, clearly, however he was additionally a large underdog heading into that rematch and I see no cause to assume Makhachev is falling off.

Sure, it’s just a little wonky, however we’re presently watching one of many biggest fighters of all time compete and we must always all sit again and luxuriate in it since you by no means know the way lengthy that may final.

Merab Dvalishvili

“What did specialists get fallacious about Umar vs. Merab fallacious?”

It’s me. I’m the “specialists.” I picked Umar to beat Merab on Saturday and boy was I fallacious.

I can’t converse for all of the specialists who picked Umar however for myself, I believe I bought two issues fallacious about this battle, one which I a minimum of knew I might be fallacious about and one I used to be in no way ready for.

The one factor I didn’t consider in any respect was Merab’s skill to compete on the toes. To place it plainly, Merab just isn’t striker and Umar is a fairly good one, and that’s how issues performed out on Saturday — till they didn’t. I used to be below the impression that Umar would make issues rather more troublesome on Merab within the placing portion of issues, working the physique and the jab, and hitting him so much, and early on there was a few of that, however because the rounds drew on that fell off steeply. Merab’s willingness to take one to offer one and his fixed work charge stymied Umar greater than I assumed. I’m positive Umar want to blame that on the damaged hand, however that’s the sport. Shit occurs, adapt and overcome. He didn’t.

The factor that I assumed may occur however I wasn’t anticipating was that Merab may merely do his type via Umar opposition. Certain, Umar stuffed takedowns and hit Merab incessantly on the toes, however the champion merely simply saved coming. He pressured Umar to work continuously and whereas he may win just a few rounds by with the ability to sustain and being technically superior, finally he faltered. Merab didn’t falter. Make no mistake, this can be a fairly unhealthy matchup for Merab on paper, however he merely pushed via it with effort. I gained’t faux to get pleasure from Merab’s type as a result of I don’t, however it’s undeniably extremely spectacular.

Merab’s legacy

“Not speaking GOAT, however is Merab the perfect bantamweight ever? T.J.’s greatest performances had been extra flawless, however I really feel like Merab face to face beats each different all time bantamweight.”

This can be a actually exhausting query for me to reply as somebody who doesn’t take care of Merab’s type. It’s undeniably efficient however simply not for me. I don’t watch crossfit regardless of that being extremely spectacular, and that’s sort of what Merab’s sport is: turning the whole lot right into a check of cardio and can.

So with that preface, settle for that I could also be a bit biased once I say I believe T.J. Dillashaw continues to be the perfect bantamweight I’ve ever seen. On the peak of his powers, Dillashaw was among the finest pound-for-pound fighters within the sport, and I believe would give Merab a really exhausting battle. That being stated, I assumed Umar would additionally and that was not the case. (Additionally, there’s the entire PED stuff that comes with Dillashaw however I don’t personally care about that.) It’s totally attainable Merab would Merab him the identical as everybody else.

Nevertheless, I do assume the subject of bantamweight GOAT is shortly coming into body for Merab. He’s present run is the perfect run in divisional historical past and the one actual knock on his case is tenure. Merab solely has one title protection, which makes it exhausting to place him even above somebody like Aljamain Sterling within the dialog, a lot much less Dominick Cruz, however these defenses are coming.

It looks like Merab’s subsequent to opponents can be rematches with Sean O’Malley and Petr Yan. Contemplating how he dominated each the primary time round, there’s a robust probability Merab has three title defenses below his belt earlier than 2026, and if that’s the case, that’s in all probability GOAT executed and dusted. Dominick Cruz formally has 4 bantamweight title defenses (together with WEC defenses, which clearly ought to depend) and actually 5 since he didn’t lose his belt within the cage, and beat T.J. Dillashaw to reclaim the title. Merab’s three plus the power of the remainder of his resume places him at No. 1 all time if he can have a robust yr.

Champ champ

“How would a battle between Alexandre Pantoja and Merab play out?”

Similar as each Merab battle: Dvalishvili by unanimous determination.

At this level it needs to be fairly clear that the one option to beat Merab is to complete him and for pretty much as good as Pants is, that appears unlikely. He would get Merab’d tremendous exhausting.

Combat of the Night time

“Was Umar vs Merab actually the FOTN? Wasn’t Jiri vs Hill higher?”

Clearly it wasn’t Combat of the Night time. Merab vs. Umar was a high-level, fascinating battle that was made to be higher by the truth that Merab pulled off the upset. On a weak card, that might be a effective Combat of the Night time selection. However no one goes to return and watch that one repeatedly for enjoyable.

Jiri Prochazka vs. Jamahal Hill was whole anarchy from the opening bell, with huge momentum swings culminating in a end. Numbers don’t all the time inform the story, Jiri vs. Jamahal had solely marginally fewer important strikes in roughly half the time of the primary occasion, had two knockdowns, and a end. That battle was enjoyable to observe if you happen to knew nothing about preventing. Merab vs. Umar was spectacular to observe, however enjoyable wasn’t precisely on the menu.

Jamahal Hill bought robbed of $50,000.

Thanks for studying and because of everybody who despatched in tweets (Xs?)! Do you will have any burning questions on issues a minimum of considerably associated to fight sports activities? Then you definately’re in luck as a result of you’ll be able to ship your tweets to me, @JedKMeshew, and I’ll reply my favourite ones! It doesn’t matter in the event that they’re topical or insane, simply as long as they’re good. Thanks once more, and see y’all subsequent week.