“He is not a fighter that needs guidance” – Javier Mendez hints at when Islam Makhachev could retire from MMA

Islam Makhachev defends his welterweight title in a couple of weeks against Ian Machado Garry. This will be Makhachev’s first title defense in this weight class, and while he is expected to get a win at UFC 300, there are questions about his future.

The Russian is 34 years old, and might not have too many years left at the top level. Many top athletes have seen a decline when they reach their mid-30s, but Makhachev’s coach, Javier Mendez believes his client can dominate till he is 40.

Mendez was on Submission Radio and was asked about Makhachev’s retirement plans. The Russian’s coach claimed Makhachev would stop when he wants to:

“As long as Islam is having fun, and is doing what he loves to do, and he keeps destroying people the way he is going to be destroying people, I feel, I believe the ceiling is whenever he wants to stop.”

Mendez also believed that Makhachev could continue till he was 40, but his client didn’t want to fight for so long:

“I don’t know, I made a speech about you could see Islam five, six years, and he goes, ‘Coach, coach, quiet, I don’t want to fight that long.’”

Mendez also lauded Makhachev for being in shape always, and added that he was an easy person to work with:

“He can is what I am saying, if he is healthy and his body can still do it, and Islam is not somebody who stays out of shape, he stays in shape and takes care of his body really well. He is not a fighter that needs guidance, just needs a tap on the shoulder and, ‘Good job.’”

He continued:

“He is the easiest person I have ever, ever, ever had the privilege of working with. The easiest by far.”

Check out Javier Mendez speaking about Islam Makhachev from 24:13:

Is Islam Makhachev better than Khabib Nurmagomedov?

Javier Mendez has trained both Islam Makhachev and Khabib Nurmagomedov. Makhachev was Nurmagomedov’s protege while ‘The Eagle’ dominated MMA.

Nurmagomedov finished his career with a 29-0 record, but despite Makhachev losing once in his career, some believe he is better than ‘The Eagle’.

Former UFC champion TJ Dillashaw also believes the same. Dillashaw was on the JAXXON Podcast picked Makhachev to beat Nurmagomedov, and he explained why:

“I’m going to go Islam… I think he’s more well-rounded. His striking is better. Even though Khabib did what he did and put it on people, I think that Islam Makhachev has actually fought the tougher guys. He’s had the tougher, bigger opponents… He’s just more well-rounded skill-wise. I think he would have been able to fight off a little bit of that grappling dominance. They trained together as well, so he would have known what he had. I think he would have been able to fight off a little bit of that grappling dominance he had. And the striking could have worn him out.”