Islam Makhachev's Coach Reveals Secret Tactics That Helped Usman Nurmagomedov Win
Coach Javier Mendez revealed how Islam Makhachev advised Usman Nurmagomedov to fake body kicks before landing his head kick.
Usman Nurmagomedov is currently making waves with his impeccable form. The PFL Lightweight champion recently made a strong statement by dominating Archie Colgan. Going one-on-one with the undefeated fighter, the 28-year-old knocked him out in the very first round. Now, as the MMA fans are left stunned by Nurmagomedov’s dominance, coach Javier Mendez revealed how one of Islam Makhachev’s secrets helped him win.
What Tactics Did Usman Nurmagomedov Follow?
Nurmagomedov’s longtime coach, Mendez, pointed out how Makhachev passed on a valuable tip. Speaking with Submission Radio in an interview, Mendez explained that Nurmagomedov was faking body kicks before going for Colgan’s head.
Mendez said, “It was actually Islam’s advice that got the job done. He told , ‘Teep up the middle, feint and feint, and then go with the head kick.’ And then that’s exactly what happened.”
Interestingly, this was also the exact strategy that Makhachev followed in his bout against Alexander Volkanovski. Elaborating further, Mendez said that Makhachev’s striking coach, Magomed Bagandov initially came up with his. He said, “This was the same technique shown to Islam by his coach Magomed and Islam showed it to Usman.”
Indeed, the tactics worked out perfectly. The PFL lightweight champion kept pressing Colgan right from the beginning. Following the fakes, the 22-0 fighter landed a question-mark kick to the head that significantly impacted the 31-year-old star’s performance. Although Colgan did manage to somewhat recover from the devastating kick, his resistance did not last long. Wasting no time, Nurmagomedov proceeded to land a vicious uppercut, which was a bit too much for the 13-1 fighter to take.
Interestingly, following the New York show, the Russian MMA star is now no longer in contract with the PFL. With ample options to choose from as a free agent, Nurmagomedov is heavily rumored to be joining the UFC next. However, whether or not that becomes a reality is something for which the fans will have to wait as of now.
