“He had championship DNA…” - Coach Javier Mendez once revealed the title-winning mindset of Islam Makhachev

UFC lightweight champion Islam Makhachev has now successfully reigned at the top of the division for over a year and also completed two title defenses against an incredibly challenging opponent in featherweight king Alexander Volkanovski.

His longtime coach Javier Mendez explained that Makhachev has always had the championship mindset in him and was a gifted fighter from the start. In an interview with Ariel Helwani on The MMA Hour last year, Mendez said:

“Oh no, no. You knew, you knew right away. [Makhachev], he had championship DNA. Hundred percent. He showed it right away, he was extremely gifted back then also. He just needed more time, more work but he had it all, he had it all.”

Mendez also compared Islam Makhachev to his title-holding predecessor and UFC Hall of Famer Khabib Nurmagomedov. He explained how the younger Makhachev was never pressured or forced into Nurmagomedov's shadow:

“He never copied him from the beginning. Never felt pressure from the beginning, Islam was Islam from the get-go. He knew what he was going to do, he knew his path and he had an example in Khabib to follow but he wasn’t following in Khabib’s footsteps. It was Islam’s footsteps and it was his own identity, for instance, Islam doesn’t have tag lines, he doesn’t have great lines that he says. Islam is not out there doing what Khabib does. He’s more of a Cowboy Cerrone in regards to activity outside of fighting.”

Check out Javier Mendez's full comments in the interview below [1:03:05]:

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Dricus Du Plessis converts to an Islam Makhachev fan after his latest win over Alexander Volkanovski

UFC middleweight contender Dricus Du Plessis has changed up his stance of Islam Makhachev.

Du Plessis revealed in a recent interview with James Lynch that he was not a fan of Makhachev previously, but the pound-for-pound king's incredible head kick knockout of featherweight champ Alexander Volkanovski won him over.

Du Plessis said:

"I wasn't really a fan of Islam Makhachev, just the style and the way he fights... I didn't like to watch it. Now I have to take back my words and eat my hat, 'cause the man is so good. The way he just went out there and knocked out Volk, that was incredible."

The win at UFC 294 marked Islam Makhachev's second consecutive win over Alexander Volkanovski and helped him ascend to the top of the P4P rankings.

Check out Dricus Du Plessis' full comments in the interview below on YouTube: