Makhov warns heavyweights: Olympic Gold then UFC title on my 'to do list'

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Wild

Wild

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On April 25, 2015, the Ultimate Fighting Championship announced the signing of a 6'5" 290-pound Russian wrestling icon, Bilyal Makhov. The promotion brought the inexperienced 0-0 fighter onto their roster well aware that it would be nearly two year before they could reap the rewards.

A UFC heavyweight title run would simply have to wait.

Makhov, a three-time World freestyle champion, had his sights set on Olympic gold in 2016. That was his priority, and his lifelong ambition. Countless hours spent in the steamy gyms in Dagestan would culminate in Makhov biting down on his gold medal while his beaming face radiated brightly for his countrymen to celebrate back home.

The 28-year-old was a representative of the North Caucasus. While his potential Olympic medal would add to the overall…


http://www.bloodyelbow.com/2016/1/6/10722874/ufc-olympic-gold-medal-wrestling-bilyal-makhov-daniel-cormier-cain-velasquez-mma-news
 
NHBStriker

NHBStriker

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With the way I think the market is going to change for fighters, I wish he hadn't locked himself into a long term contract with the UFC.
 
Wild

Wild

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This dude appears to be an absolute animal. If he has any striking whatsoever, look the hell out.
 
benjo0101

benjo0101

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Wild said:
This dude appears to be an absolute animal. If he has any striking whatsoever, look the hell out.
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With his grappling ability and no doubt incredible strength he won't need much.

Plus these type of wrestlers are tough mother fuckers. No quit.

Plus he's huge.

Unfortunately I cannot condone 0-0 fighters in the UFC. But I'm keen to see him fight.
 
AliAlwaeli

AliAlwaeli

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I never troll but I must say this. Its hard to take him seriously when literally I have better stand up game than him. Yes he is a monster at wrestling but Greco roman does not compare to MMA wrestling (Proof: GSP vs Josh Koscheck)

Taking people down with no jiu-jitsu or stand up skills built over years : does not win you fights against any heavyweight.
His chin has never been tested.

Give him derrick lewis in his debute and he will lose to derrick.

However, he has big potential but needs a lot of time.
 
Wild

Wild

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benjo0101 said:
With his grappling ability and no doubt incredible strength he won't need much.

Plus these type of wrestlers are tough mother fuckers. No quit.

Plus he's huge.

Unfortunately I cannot condone 0-0 fighters in the UFC. But I'm keen to see him fight.
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He is freaking huge. You know he's just strong as shit. He gets his hands on most HW's and they're going for a ride.
 
Wild

Wild

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AliAlwaeli said:
I never troll but I must say this. Its hard to take him seriously when literally I have better stand up game than him. Yes he is a monster at wrestling but Greco roman does not compare to MMA wrestling (Proof: GSP vs Josh Koscheck)

Taking people down with no jiu-jitsu or stand up skills built over years : does not win you fights against any heavyweight.
His chin has never been tested.

Give him derrick lewis in his debute and he will lose to derrick.

However, he has big potential but needs a lot of time.
Click to expand...
I have to disagree a bit with this. Is his stand up rudimentary? Yes. But will it matter in his first 3-4 fights? I tend to believe it will not. They'll bring him along slow to start, so he should be able to win his first few just on brute strength alone. His double leg is a motherfucker. Here's Rogan talking about this guy and what a beast he is.


View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Ks0_GGlIkI

If he can win his first 3-4 on wrestling alone...that's a 2 year span for him to continue to improve his striking. Then it's on, big time.
 
AliAlwaeli

AliAlwaeli

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Wild said:
I have to disagree a bit with this. Is his stand up rudimentary? Yes. But will it matter in his first 3-4 fights? I tend to believe it will not. They'll bring him along slow to start, so he should be able to win his first few just on brute strength alone. His double leg is a motherfucker. Here's Rogan talking about this guy and what a beast he is.


View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Ks0_GGlIkI

If he can win his first 3-4 on wrestling alone...that's a 2 year span for him to continue to improve his striking. Then it's on, big time.
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yeah, Again that what I said, he needs time and he has big potential. 2 years is a lot of time. people going around thinking he will just move to mma and directly fight for the title. thats impossible.

Henry cejudo (Olympic gold medalist in wrestling) had all the time in the world and all the right ways for mma evolution and he still lost to Demetrius. Mightmouse looked like on another level. Wrestling in mma is totally different. Imagine attempting a double and getting kneed to the skull (like MVP vs Cyborg).
 
L

Limpy

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This will give you an idea of how big he is. Here he is with LHW TUF winner Andrew Sanchez

Holy shit
 
L

Limpy

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Wild said:
I don't know how the guys going to make 265 to be honest. He's 290 there and he's not fat at all.
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He should be able to drop a bit of weight and dehydrate from about 280ish. Lost of LW's dehydrate from around 165-170 so add an extra 100 pounds, there's plenty of water to lose.
 
Zeph

Zeph

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AliAlwaeli said:
one more thing... UFC USADA is different than WADA
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Of course. WADA provide a list of banned substances to test for, USADA are a testing agency. USADA do use WADA's list for banned substances, but don't have the same punishments.
 
Zeph

Zeph

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AliAlwaeli said:
I never troll but I must say this. Its hard to take him seriously when literally I have better stand up game than him. Yes he is a monster at wrestling but Greco roman does not compare to MMA wrestling (Proof: GSP vs Josh Koscheck)

Taking people down with no jiu-jitsu or stand up skills built over years : does not win you fights against any heavyweight.
His chin has never been tested.

Give him derrick lewis in his debute and he will lose to derrick.

However, he has big potential but needs a lot of time.
Click to expand...
Jon Jones, Dan Henderson, Randy Couture, Chael Sonnen, and Matt Lindland have all had very successful careers with a Greco Roman base.
 
NHBStriker

NHBStriker

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Wild said:
I don't know how the guys going to make 265 to be honest. He's 290 there and he's not fat at all.
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The UFC created the 205 class for Tito Ortiz. If they think they can make enough money off this guy, they'll raise the heavyweight limit however high it needs to be.
 
WoodenPupa

WoodenPupa

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NHBStriker said:
The UFC created the 205 class for Tito Ortiz. If they think they can make enough money off this guy, they'll raise the heavyweight limit however high it needs to be.
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This is a state athletic commission issue though. IIRC most commissions follow the association of boxing commissions (ABC) mandate of 265 as the upper limit.

Don't get me wrong, I'm sure they could get the rules changed with enough effort, but it wouldn't be an internal affair and thus not a simple matter of "make it so."
 
Zeph

Zeph

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WoodenPupa said:
This is a state athletic commission issue though. IIRC most commissions follow the association of boxing commissions (ABC) mandate of 265 as the upper limit.

Don't get me wrong, I'm sure they could get the rules changed with enough effort, but it wouldn't be an internal affair and thus not a simple matter of "make it so."
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Boxing doesn't have an upper limit on heavyweight, to my knowledge. Valuev fought at heavyweight and he was 150kg(330lbs).
 
NHBStriker

NHBStriker

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WoodenPupa said:
This is a state athletic commission issue though. IIRC most commissions follow the association of boxing commissions (ABC) mandate of 265 as the upper limit.

Don't get me wrong, I'm sure they could get the rules changed with enough effort, but it wouldn't be an internal affair and thus not a simple matter of "make it so."
Click to expand...
Good point and well explained.
 
WoodenPupa

WoodenPupa

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Zeph said:
Boxing doesn't have an upper limit on heavyweight, to my knowledge. Valuev fought at heavyweight and he was 150kg(330lbs).
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They do in America. Did Valuev fight in the USA? I'm trying to think of a fight where he did.
 
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