Things appear to be going well for Islam Makhachev ahead of his major career move this November.
The former UFC lightweight champion vacated the throne at 155 pounds earlier this year in order to pursue two-division glory up at welterweight.
His opportunity to do so comes at UFC 322, where Makhachev will challenge Jack Della Maddalena in a pay-per-view main event that marks the Australian’s first defense since winning the title from Belal Muhammad in May.
Among the main talking points pre-fight is how Makhachev will adjust to a weight class 15 pounds heavier than his usual stomping ground. According to coach Javier Mendez’s latest update, the Dagestani is doing just fine.
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Coach Javier Mendez reveals Islam Makhachev weighs around 191 pounds ahead of UFC 322
During a recent interview with Red Corner MMA, Mendez looked ahead to the next assignment for his team’s biggest star.
The renowned trainer addressed the discussion over Makhachev’s size and how he will stack up against Della Maddalena.
Although he initially expected his fighter to be significantly outsized, Mendez has been impressed with how Makhachev has been able to bulk up to around 191 pounds.
“I was thinking we were going to be quite a bit smaller than Jack, but then I saw Islam,” Mendez said.
“He’s put on the weight really nicely. I think Islam right now is about a solid 191 pounds, so we’re not going to have the issue with jumping up a weight.”
While he was competing at lightweight, Makhachev said his walk-around weight was around 180 pounds.
Islam Makhachev previously admitted bulking up for UFC 322 was ‘hard’
Mendez’s comments will come as a relief to the Dagestani star’s fans, who heard some more worrying remarks earlier this year.
In June, Makhachev admitted struggling with bulking up for his welterweight move, insisting it was difficult to pile on the muscle mass in anticipation for his arrival in a new weight class.
“I will try to be big. You know, it’s not easy man,” Makhachev told MMA Junkie. “All my life I cut weight, but now, when I want to be big, my weight stays in the same position.
“I try to lift more. We do some program and like slowly, slowly we bring some, maybe 2 kg (roughly 4.4 pounds) right now and it’s very hard but I don’t want to be big by food, eating and not training.
“I want to be with muscles you know, I want to do training, a right lifting program and bring some muscles,” he added.