Makhachev Judo Breakdown: Why He’s Fighting a Different Fight
Everyone wants to talk about Islam Makhachev’s sambo background. It’s the narrative Dana White loves, it’s what every casual fan parrots. Except here’s the thing—if you actually break down Makhachev’s grappling frame by frame, you’re not watching sambo. You’re watching judo.
The grip fighting that neutralized Charles Oliveira. The foot sweeps that created scrambles against Dustin Poirier. The sacrifice throws that would make wrestlers cringe. That’s competition-refined judo adapted for MMA.
The sambo is the finishing layer. The Makhachev judo base is the structural foundation that makes everything else work—and it’s why the lightweight division has no answer right now.