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Even though their submission numbers are extremely close, Islam Makhachev does not have more submissions than the legendary undefeated lightweight champion Khabib Nurmagomedov.
'The Eagle' edged out the younger Russian with just one more submission finish. Khabib Nurmagomedov has amassed eleven submission wins in his 29 fights as a professional MMA fighter.
Meanwhile, Makhachev holds ten submission wins from a total of 23 fights as a professional. Makhachev also doesn't have the undefeated tag of his teammate, as he holds a lone loss from his UFC 192 fight against Adriano Martins.
Watch some of Islam Makhachev's finishes below:
Interestingly enough, Nurmagomedov also holds the upper hand regarding knockout finishes. 'The Eagle' finished eight fights in his career via KO/TKOs.
Watch all the finishes by Khabib Nurmagomedov in the UFC below:
In this case, however, Makhachev's numbers are far inferior to his older fellow Dagestani. The 30-year-old has only four knockout wins on his resume. Luckily for Makhachev, since retirement Khabib Nurmagomedov has comfortably settled into a coaching role. 'The Eagle' can be seen cornering his fellow Russian in all his fights.
In a video uploaded to YouTube, the former lightweight champion can be seen verbally guiding the 30-year-old in executing a kimura against Dan Hooker at UFC 267.
Watch Khabib Nurmagomedov instruct Islam Makhachev to perfectly execute a kimura below:
When Khabib Nurmagomedov called Islam Makhachev the most complete fighter in MMA today
'The Eagle' thinks highly of fellow Russian and teammate Islam Makhachev. In a recent interview with TMZSports, Nurmagomedov stated that his protege is currently the best MMA fighter in the world.
The undefeated lightweight explained that, unlike many other fighters, the 30-year-old was not one-dimensional. He added that Makhachev was equally good at standing up, in the clinch, and on the ground:
"He is like most [the] complete fighter today in MMA. Who's [a] more complete fighter than him? Charles Oliveira? He go[es] down every single fight... [Alexander] Volkanovski? He [dosen't] wrestle or grapple like Islam. [Israel] Adesanya? They all have some way, but Islam have every way. Striking, punching, grappling, ground and pound, kicking, knee, clinch, everything you know."
Watch Khabib Nurmagomedov detail why Makhachev is the most complete fighter below:
Furthermore, Nurmagomedov added that if the 30-year-old defeats some of the UFC's new blood after overcoming Oliveira, he might become the greatest lightweight of all time. Makhachev will fight 'do Bronx' for the vacant 155lb belt at UFC 280 in Abu Dhabi on October 22.
