Islam & Nate | HOF
Islam & Nate in an Elevator
In a recent interview with Demetrius Johnson on his podcast, Islam Makhachev opened up about a story that’s never been heard by fans before. It’s no secret that Nate Diaz doesn’t get along with the entire Nurmagmedov clan, but based on Islam’s recent interview, Nate’s entire bravado might just be for show.
Despite Diaz stirring the pot with Islam & Co. anytime the cameras are around, Islam says that behind closed doors (particularly elevator doors) things are very different. Islam tells Johnson that the only time he has ever seen Nate alone, without cameras, was about 5-6 months ago in an elevator at the Wynn Hotel in Las Vegas, Nevada. Islam explains:
“I meet Diaz in the elevator at the Wynn hotel. He go to cross to me and say, ‘respect, respect, respect’. And the he just walks [away]. They all change now. When a lot of cameras come, they always people change.”
“We don’t have something, I don’t know. If I have something with him [Diaz], I can fix it in the Wynn Hotel. But he come to me, like [within] 2 meters. He said, ‘respect, respect’, and then he walks away.
Until fans get Diaz’s side of the story, which they never will, the only people who know what really happened in that elevator are Islam & Diaz. Aside from the truth, fans can only speculate.
Octagon Time | Youtube
Nurmagomedov vs Diaz Clan Rivalry
Both Nate & Nick Diaz love to cause trouble with other fighters and rightfully so, having built themselves up to be some of the most popular fighters in MMA history. Nate has long had it out for Khabib Nurmagomedov & Co. having fought in the same division for the majority of their UFC careers. It made sense for Nate to chase the potential fight with Khabib, but not so much when it comes to Islam.
Last month at the UFC 311 press conference, the beef between the two teams was reignited as Nate Diaz threw water bottles towards Islam Makhachev’s team. This prompted Islam to try and engage with Diaz, but was ultimately held back by his fellow teammates.
As to why Diaz would start the drama against Islam is a mystery. There doesn’t seem to be any path towards a potential Diaz vs Makhachev fight, especially since Diaz is no longer fighting in the UFC. Drama can be fun, but things are starting to feel very forced by the Diaz side as it’s becoming clear Islam’s team is extremely uninterested.
Islam Makhachev | Instagram
Target on Dagestan
There has always been a target on fighters from Dagestan. Khabib, Islam, and many more of their teammates face lots of ridicule despite their immense success. Fans call their style “boring”, say they haven’t fought tough competition, accuse them of PED use, and much more, all without any evidence presented to back the claims.
Expect more of the same during the build-up to UFC 311. Islam & teammate Umar Nurmagomedov are both fighting for championships on the same night. No matter if they go 2-0 or 0-2, the criticism to follow will likely be the same.
Being at the top isn’t easy, but even through a constant hailstorm of criticism & water bottles, Dagestan continues to prove their dominance amongst the rest.
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