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Original Description
Islam Makhachev catches up with Brett Okamoto to preview his UFC 322 title fight vs. Jack Della Maddalena, how his move from lightweight to welterweight has impacted him physically, a potential future fight vs. Ilia Topuria and more.
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Video Transcript
What's up guys? Brett Okamoto from ESPN
joined by UFC welterweight title
challenger Islam Makachev who moves up
to face Jack Dea Madelena UFC 322
November 15th. Um and it feels weird not
calling you a UFC champion. It just it
just feels odd, man. Like do you feel
like
it's bad? It's bad you have to call me
UFC champion but soon.
Yeah. I mean uh should I still be
calling you a UFC champion almost? I
mean you don't lose the belt, right?
It's like
this is your sixth title fight in a row,
but your first time going in as a
challenger in three years. Is it does it
feel different? How how has it felt um
this camp getting ready to try to take
something instead of defend it?
This camp is really hard you know I gain
weight I become big you know and
you know the opponent the maxaric
partners I change there some some guys
they also very big you know that's why
it's very hard camp we did like
first camp for the we did like for the
lifting you know it's the weights which
I use in the training everything is
changing you know it's become very hard
and now I feel good just still little
bit jet leg after the fly
and uh like couple of days more and I
will be good.
What what has been the biggest
difference going with these bigger guys?
Like what have you found that you need
to change about your approach facing uh
you know these bigger opponents?
Yeah, like a lot of things we change
like many many things just we sit with
the coaches and we make the plan you
know and very difficult to gain the
weight I finally become a little bit big
now because I try to like last couple
months it's very hard I use like
creatine protein after every training
you try to eat more you know but it's
very hard when you're training twice a
days when you're training hard It's very
hard to gain weight.
What kind of weight did you want to put
on? Like what was the mindset in that?
Uh I want to walk around 87 kg. It's I
don't know how much pounds.
Mhm.
It's like
I don't know like 87 kg and like five
week I want to be like
83.
And it's going to be it's going to be
very easy cut weight honestly.
I I think and uh we'll see like I still
keep in keep in touch with the US
nutritionist guys. They give me good
supplements, good advice also.
So you're you're you're doing protein
and creatine and you're eating
protein creatine. I use the creatine you
know first time ever in my life I like
use almost every day and it's the like
first supplement which I feel
something's change you know it's give
you
like you recover very fast uh help you
to gain weight you know
and give you some power. How much
different is it? Can you what what was
it like at 155? Like during camp
obviously you're not eating protein to
create what are you eating?
My life is changed you know when I'm
change the weight division. My life is
changed always like all my life I have
to I have I have to think what I'm going
to eat what I have to eat for the dinner
you know. Now I can enjoy my camp camp,
eat like whatever I want and just smile
and training.
Yeah, I was I mean are you much happier
now than than you have been over the
last time?
Sure. Sure. 100%.
You know, last like 155. It's always I
make weight always, but it's so
difficult, so hard always.
Do you feel like it ever impacted your
performance? Obviously, you were the
champion and uh you were performing
better than anybody, but did you ever
feel that like I'm not as good as I
could be? Like because of the weight
cut, I actually am sort of fighting at a
lesser percent of myself. Did you ever
feel that way? Yeah, honestly I feel
that
like
you know no one from the hard like who
who cut like 10 kg like more than 10 kg
they never they never recover like 100%
you know I still feeling I recover for
for the fight like maybe 70 60% you know
because it's so hard to recovery by 30
hours
and now I'm like very excited to see how
I'm going to feel in the cage.
Yeah, man. I mean, if you were fighting
at 70 and 60%, where where do you think
we will notice that? Like as the fans,
if if you at 55 was 70% and you at 170
is going to be 100%.
Let's see after the second round if it's
happen after the second round, after the
third round like champions round.
Let's see because I feel I I like
already feel in the camp. How is my
recovery? How is I feeling after the
third third rounds? That's why it's
going to be I think it's going to be
something new for me.
Well, it probably give you a lot of
confidence like early on too that you
just don't feel like you need to manage
your energy as much early on. Yeah. Was
that something?
I think so. You know, like I don't know
how it's going to be 100% but still I I
feel like many different things, you
know, like every day I like eat good
food like use the protein and creatine
is help me a lot also for recovery.
I would think that the biggest
difference going from 155 to 170 is
going to be the ability to get guys
down. you know that that you have always
had this ability to take guys down when
you want to when you need to to get them
tired that it's going to be harder to
just take down these big guys and that
that would be the biggest difference in
terms of the competition at 170. Is that
fair to say or is there something else
that's that's a bigger challenge moving
up? Yeah, my opponent was also going to
be big. But uh I'm also big, you know.
Before I my weight it's like 82 83. Now
I'm 87. You know
uh you know the
it's euro is euro. You're right because
some of the guy who was who I spar with
now it's it's not like 170 games. some
of them from the 15 185 you know it's I
feel you know more power but but I
working last two three months I working
on that because I know it's very
difficult and uh we did good jobs to to
like to become stronger become bigger
you know
as you got into studying Jack a little
bit more obviously you were aware of who
he was you had watched him fight before
but when you get into camp and you're
really watching him. What stood out to
you?
Um, honestly, yeah, I watch all his
fight. He's good. Striking is good. His
boxing is very good, you know. And, uh,
his wrestling not so good, but he good
in the ground. He he know he know how to
defense, how to escape, how to get up,
you know. He have good skills in the
ground also, but I saw his wrestling
just not good. But he know how to
defense, you know.
and uh like he's striking striking
really good. That's why he's the one of
the best in the world and he the world
champion right now.
What about his wrestling isn't good.
What is he doing wrong?
I saw his defense you know a lot of guys
take him down like all all I think all
all his opponents in USA take him down
but
but he feel good in the ground when
somebody take him down. he not panic
like try to do something
some mistake and uh he know how to
defense.
What about the power? I mean I talked
about like the ability to wrestle guys
and and trying to get him down. Um the
punching power once. He's not like some
guy who have like crazy power like you
know and he not so big on in this
division you know like uh for example
Bilal he have like Jer he have like
power like Kamarus man this guy have
like good power but I don't I don't I
don't think like Jake have some more
than me you know.
Mhm. How is how is Hhabib feeling about
this one? Hhabib always seems like very
confident but very nervous at the same
time to me you know like he
Yeah. Yeah. He always he always very
nervous and last months for him it's
crazy because a lot of guys from our
team fighting in Dubai Osman fight and
Omar fight next week you know
uh these guys. Oh yeah yeah yeah we sit
with coach how is him make some plan
know and we bring some uh new training
partners exactly for the jack
what is uh what has been the habib's
biggest um message to you during this
camp it's not secret
like take him down try to take him down
and make him better there and I I think
I can finish him in the ground you know
I and choke him, do some like armor or
somethings because I feel, you know, I
saw his his uh skills in the ground. He
good, but
but I have something more.
I know you're obviously focused on Jack
one million%, but I these questions
about Elia are not going to go away
until either I think one of you loses or
you fight. You know, they're just never
going to go away. Um I haven't talked to
you since since he beat Charles Alivera.
What did you think? What did you think
of that uh that lightweight title fight?
Yeah, he's good. I saw the fight. He's
good, you know. And
the guy Charles Aliver, he going to
going to finish always, you know, or you
finish him or he finish, you know.
Mhm.
That's why this guy is so dangerous, but
it's so good fight. And uh now
now I don't know who is going to be next
for Ilia. And uh if we talk about our
fights, I have good fights now and I
know he's going to fight soon and we'll
see what going to what's going to be
happen. You know, he want to fight in
White House and I also want to be there.
Mhm. Yeah. That would
is that the biggest fight for you do you
think? And again, I I know I almost
don't like asking these questions
because I know you got a big fight in
front of you, but is that the biggest
fight that they could?
Yeah. for the like it's going to be like
big big like for MMA community it's
going to be big fights you know
and people want this fight and
if UFC want this fight and we can do
this
do you think the UFC wants this fight
because I get the sense that they kind
of don't what what do you
I don't know I know UFC want to do like
some big fight in white house
which fight going to be bigger than this
Yeah,
he's talking about you win, he wants to
go up to 170. That's I I imagine that's
probably where you would want the fight
because then because you don't want to
go back to 155, right? You don't want to
have to be sitting there and cut and
weight again, right? So So you're on
board with this idea of 170.
Yeah, if you come, it's going to be
better for me. You know,
if I have to cut 155,
man, it's going to be hard. And uh then
I would have to pay for this.
Maybe you you would need some time,
right? Well, I guess uh I guess if if
after Ramadan, you could you could cut
back down to 155, right? Cuz sometimes
when you you work hard, we also lose
weight, you know. We'll see. We'll see
after the fight when I stop to use the
creatine and bread protein. We'll see
how much is my weight.
I think uh it's, you know, like you
said, we don't know what's next for
Elia. They haven't announced it, but it
kind of feels like Patty is is sort of
the most likely one. It's it's felt like
that ever since Patty got in the the the
octagon with him. What do you think
about that? Do you think Patty is is
like a real challenge? Do you I mean
that was your division.
Oh man, it's I don't know. It's the
first time it's
Arman was the how big like pickup
fighter
for the Charles Alivera in Tapura. He
cut weight. He
show it and after that he have to fight
for the title you know.
Mhm.
But I don't know I feel Arman have to be
next because this guy's deserve you know
he did like mistake when he was supposed
to fight with me. He like he injured he
like not come to weigh in but he's still
he's still number one in this division
and he fight he have to fight for the
title.
What is like a
maybe Arman, maybe Gachi, but not Patty
for sure.
Not Patty. Why not? How come?
Man, I don't know who Patty beat who?
Like Tony Ferguson. Who else? He beat
Chandler. Michael Chandler.
Chandler.
Everybody beat Chandler.
Do you think uh I mean his resume is not
he hasn't faced the the the very very
top but do you think he's actually
skilled enough that maybe he could he
could go in there and get it done even
though he hasn't really
he can do some things but
I don't see a big chance you know he can
do he can I don't know I don't know
maybe honestly it's not big challenge
for for Tapura
when you start
Arman it's like really big deal you know
if he beat Arman it's
Yeah,
it's you know very like because Arman
have good skills striking, wrestling,
grappling, he's like good fighter but
Py nobody check PY before
you start thinking about uh November
when you're thinking about November what
is the most exciting thing about it to
you? Like is it that adding a second
belt to your collection? I know that you
really want to prove that you're the
number one pound-for-pound fighter in
the world. Do you feel like this is the
only way to do it?
It's a biggest fight for me in my
career. It's the biggest fight, you
know. Of course, when I fought for the
title first time and now it's like I I
think it's very different
because how many we have a lot of UC
champions but not much double champions.
That's why I want to be one of them and
uh it's a biggest challenge for me.
Yeah, it's hard, right? I mean this is
it's very hard. Yeah, it's very hard and
I deserve my chance. You know I defend
my bel more than everybody and
now it's new step
you when you think about the entirety of
your career. I mean even going back when
you were younger like this is the
biggest challenge you've ever faced.
Like even just kind of relative to where
you're at. I mean like like like like
coming into the UFC for the first time
and having jitters is hard, you know,
like
I never thinking I'm gonna I'm gonna
fight for the title, you know, and you
know it's now can you imagine you know
how many fighter I have in UFC and now I
fight for the second build. It's it's
dream you know it's dream for me and
honestly like this is my hardest camp in
my life you know I understand it's going
to be hard fight and this is big chance
to be
one of the best fighter ever who did
this you know that's why I push myself
for this fight very hard
and you got your wish that it's
happening in New York it's happening in
Madison Square Garden what do you what
do you
second bison square the garden, you
know, everything together and
I told it's like dream.
Well, my last thing for you would be is
does it mean something to you that this
is you are trying to accomplish
something that Hhabib never did? And I
know that like for you guys maybe you
don't talk about that, but for us we're
always like it's almost kind of been
like you followed so perfectly in his
footsteps and done everything that he
did. Like is there something kind of
cool about doing something?
I don't know. This is the this question
is like some of them ask me you want to
defend the belt more than Khabib.
We never talk about this and yeah, you
know,
it's like
for me it's the stupidest questions, you
know, because he's my brother, you know,
if if he don't want to I beat his
record, he never he never helped me, you
know, but you know, he's still I told
you he's still like now two months
without family. He support all team you
know these guys just dream for him to
make the new champions in our gym you
know because
one of the day he told me because
why he did this you know not just for
one guy you know if someone
become champion he changed life for the
like many people for his family for his
brother sister friends you
It's you know and he tell me it's like
dream for me to help people and what I
can do right now I'm not fighting but I
have to help people when I help someone
it's not mean I just help him I can help
his family his friends who people around
around him you know and that's why he is
asked right now and and it's I told it's
like not question which one I want to
answer like I beat Hab Breaker or
something like this, you know.
Well, yeah. Not even that you guys would
be competing with one another because I
know that you don't it's not like you
want to surpass him and have a bigger
legacy than him. It's almost just like
it's something that the team has never
done, right? It's just like a new
challenge that that that just he never
did. And not even to say that he should
have or shouldn't have, it's just it's
new, right? I mean, do do you feel that
part of it? It's all about Abdul Manab
legacy you know
our coach who not with us right now but
it's all all about his legacy you know
and after like 10 15 years people going
to understand what he did for for our
country for MMA for sports you know and
uh now we still you know some who not
training these
Like for example when they have no new
champions right now but new champions
other other organization but they never
training under his
but still his student teach them and
it's you know it's become like very big
school.
Yeah. Final thing when when you walk out
like what what would Abdimat think think
of all this? Like what do you think he'd
say? You you finally get in a chance to
uh to win the second belt. I know this
is something you've been waiting for and
you've been asking the UFC for for a
long time. What would you think
man? just one things which I miss you
know which I feel bad he not in the cage
with us you know when we have that that
performance when we get the belt you
know and
I think he's proud of us you know but we
still we still
we still
every day tell him like thank you for
for what he did for us you know
Mhm. I like it have to be some like you
know big movie to people understand what
he did you know.
Mhm.
Well, I'm looking forward to it man. Uh
Jack Dean Madelena is not like the most
biggest superstar in the sport right now
but he is a good good welterweight
champion.
You're moving up to a very very real
challenge. Like this is uh it doesn't
get much better than this. So I really
really thank you for uh for stopping in
even though you're jetlagged. Uh enjoy
your
I'm going to go to bed now. He almost
choked and and drowned on a sip of
water. So yeah, get some sleep.
I just finished training. You know, it's
first week it's crazy. When you come
from other country, time is change like
10 hours. It's
very difficult, you know.
For sure, man. Well,
also Ali also snorting.
Oh, was Ali over there?
Yeah. Yeah.
Not not in my room, brother. I cannot
sleep in the same room as him, you know.
Well, uh well, tell him I say hello and
I'll see you guys in about three weeks
when I head out to New York.
Yeah. soon. Yeah.
[Applause]
[Music]