Islam Makhachev is undeniably a dominant force in the UFC, but is he the most exciting champion? Some critics say his winning strategy, rooted in Dagestani wrestling and control time, can be… well, a little dull. After his recent victory over Jack Della Maddalena at UFC 322 to capture the welterweight title, the debate has only intensified. He dominated the fight, racking up over 18 minutes of control time and securing a shutout on the scorecards. While many celebrated his achievement, others felt the performance lacked a certain… spark. But here's where it gets controversial: is it Makhachev's responsibility to entertain, or just to win?
One UFC legend, Dominick Cruz, believes Makhachev could learn a thing or two from Merab Dvalishvili's more dynamic and fan-friendly approach. Could adopting some of Dvalishvili's techniques elevate Makhachev's fighting style and silence the critics?
It's worth noting that both Makhachev and Khamzat Chimaev have faced similar criticisms regarding their 'control-heavy' paths to victory. And this is the part most people miss: it's not just about winning, but how you win.
Consider Merab Dvalishvili. Despite being known for his relentless wrestling, he manages to keep fans on the edge of their seats. His constant pressure, coupled with a barrage of takedowns, somehow appeals even to those who aren't typically fans of grappling. Just look at Dvalishvili's impressive recent record, including wins against Cory Sandhagen, Sean O'Malley, and even former champions like Petr Yan. He makes wrestling exciting. But is that even possible?
Dominick Cruz, speaking on The Bohnfire podcast, thinks so. He suggests Makhachev could benefit from incorporating elements of Dvalishvili's style to find a better balance between dominance and entertainment. "I was always focused on trying to make it as exciting to watch at the same time as winning," Cruz explained. "Mixing two things together. Merab has found a way to do that with his grappling style more than Makhachev has."
Cruz elaborates on the key differences: "If you watch Merab’s style of grappling, his is like a takedown rally…His style is exciting. He’s letting you up and you don’t even realize it…When you’re tired of going down and up, now he’s on top of you beating you up. In-between that, he lands a lot of big punches too. He’s mixing in the striking with these takedown attempts."
He continues, highlighting the contrast with Makhachev's approach: "I personally like watching a takedown artist more than a guy who rides somebody out in top position,” Cruz stated. “Makhachev, he’s the guy that rides you out. He gets one takedown and you don’t get up again. He just burns the clock. When you watch Merab, he is doing something like that but it is crazier to watch, fun to watch."
Cruz further emphasizes Dvalishvili's multifaceted approach: "While he is staying safe, while he is grappling, he’s also on his feet showing you an assortment of different takedowns and an assortment of different punch entrances to set up the takedowns. That’s cool to watch for me, and it’s a different wrinkle on the grappling than you see from Makhachev. When I watch Merab, he’s using more tools…It makes it a little bit more interesting to watch."
Cruz concludes by offering advice to Makhachev: "The key for Makhachev to make it more exciting, for the fans to be more pulled in…they wanna see damage and more stuff. That would be the next progression for Makhachev — figure out how to stay that heavy on top while creating damage at the same time."
Interestingly, Dvalishvili is also chasing a significant record similar to one Makhachev is approaching. Makhachev's win streak now stands at 16, tying him with Anderson Silva for the longest in UFC history. Dvalishvili, with his 14 consecutive victories (as of UFC 320), is closing in, and a win against Petr Yan at UFC 323 would put him within striking distance. Both fighters are aware of the record, adding another layer of intrigue to their respective careers.
"Yeah, of course (I think about breaking the record for consecutive wins)," Dvalishvili admitted. "Actually, when I look now how close I am…I could be number two with my winning streak and then just two more and I can beat the other one."
So, the question remains: Can Makhachev adapt his style to become more exciting without sacrificing his dominance? Is it even necessary? And perhaps more importantly, does the responsibility to entertain outweigh the primary goal of winning in a sport as brutal as MMA? Let us know what you think in the comments – Do you agree with Cruz's assessment? Is Makhachev's style 'boring,' or is dominance enough?
