UFC welterweight veteran Vicente Luque believes that Islam Makhachev’s entrance within the 170-pound class shall be “very cool,” and he expects the Russian star to achieve success.
Dimension might be a difficulty, although.
Makhachev, a 5-foot-10 light-weight with a 70.5-inch attain, reigned amongst lightweights with 15 wins in a row, ending Alexander Volkanovski, Dustin Poirier and Renato Moicano earlier than deciding to maneuver up a weight class for a second belt. Makhachev would have a top and attain drawback towards welterweight champion Jack Della Maddalena and all athletes at the moment ranked within the high 15.
“I’ve skilled with him a couple of occasions, so I can say that he actually is excellent on the bottom, a ton of stress and approach,” Luque informed MMA Combating. “He’s not weak for the division. I don’t understand how he’s working, if he’s trying so as to add extra weight and perhaps extra energy in comparison with once we skilled, since he was all the time preventing at 155. However he has a whole lot of stress and isometric power.”
Makhachev was in a position to dominate the opposition along with his wrestling and submission abilities at light-weight, tapping out many jiu-jitsu black belts over his profession, however doing the identical in a weight class 15 kilos heavier might be harder. Particularly since he’s anticipated to make his welterweight debut towards newly-crowned champion Della Maddalena, who scored 5 finishes over his 8-0 run below the UFC banner.
“His floor recreation could be very refined, proper?” Luque mentioned of Makhachev. “As for the peak, he’s not that tall, but when he compensates with the bottom, along with his top-notch wrestling, I believe he gained’t have issues within the division. After all that it’s totally different, we’re stronger. It might be harder because the combat progresses, three or 5 rounds, and the ability is an entire different recreation. That makes a distinction. We undoubtedly hit tougher than the blokes at 155. If he can’t shut the gap, that might be a problem. Let’s see how this combat goes. He’s tremendous robust, so I don’t assume we will say he has no probabilities. He has an excellent likelihood at coming in and changing into champion, however he must work arduous.”
Does that imply Luque anticipate Makhachev to manhandle Della Maddalena on the bottom along with his superior grappling to earn a second UFC belt? Not so quick.
“I believe there are various components [in a fight],” Luque mentioned. “Many individuals assume solely about grappling. If this have been a submission match I’d say, ‘He’ll man the kill’. He’s so good on the bottom. However MMA is extra advanced. And whenever you’re grappling towards heavier guys, that calls for extra power, it wears you off. There are a number of components that we now have to see how he adapts. I’d think about he’s already coaching with greater guys. Let’s see. Now we have to see within the combat.”
The UFC has but to announce a date for Makhachev shot at glory. Within the meantime, Luque gears up for his first combat in 2025 when he faces Kevin Holland at this weekend’s UFC 316 in Newark. The Brazilian made brief work of Themba Gorimbo in his most up-to-date octagon look again in December, and goals to maintain the momentum going after an always-busy “Trailblazer” on June 7.
“I believe it’s going to be an excellent combat,” Luque mentioned. “It’s an excellent match-up for me style-wise. I wish to combat aggressive opponents, people who come to combat. I can counter and capitalize on their aggressiveness, on the toes and on the bottom. I can’t predict an excessive amount of as a result of he’s very unpredictable within the sense that I don’t know if he’ll stand and commerce or attempt to take me down, however I’m ready in all areas and with all instruments sharp. I’m assured, and I’m prepared for all the things.”
Luque and Holland are two of probably the most energetic welterweights within the UFC roster, with the Brazilian coming into his twenty third octagon look throughout a decade and Holland making his twenty sixth stroll to the cage since his debut in 2018. Holland will already make his third combat in 2025, and Luque sees the benefit of getting slowed down in recent times.
“Being energetic will get you sharp, however you don’t develop new methods. I turned extra predictable,” Luque mentioned. “I’m learning his fights and getting ready for what he does, however I’m additionally ready for one thing shocking. But when he comes the best way he’s preventing lately, he might be extra predictable. I don’t know what his objective is. I for one am targeted on climbing to the highest of the division. That’s why I’m not so anxious about taking all of the fights I can. I believe that additionally adjustments our focus within the combat. I’m targeted on going there and profitable in dominant vogue towards Holland.”
“That busy run I did was nice, after I did a number of fights [in 2018 and 2019], and it additionally put me effectively ranked within the division at the moment, however I believe the second is totally different now,” he continued. “I’ve been within the high 5, I’ve confirmed my potential. Many individuals I’ve fought are actually on an increase, like Belal [Muhammad] and [Joaquin] Buckley. I by no means had simple fights, and all the time went there to provide my finest and be aggressive. So I believe that’s one thing I’ve seen, that it’s time to take the best fights. That doesn’t imply I gained’t combat perhaps twice extra this 12 months. If it’s the best fights towards opponents that make sense and I’m okay, [I’ll do it], however preventing simply to combat, to remain energetic with out a objective, that’s not the second.
“My objective is to return to the highest this 12 months, to climb to the highest, so I’ve to be good. And I believe I’ve confirmed that I’ve the abilities to be on the high. I don’t should be preventing everyone and testing myself towards everyone anymore. I’ve to take the fights that take me [top the top].”
