Islam Makhachev returned home to Dagestan following his latest title defense, and during comments made upon his arrival, he addressed Merab Dvalishvili’s reaction to his flag display in the Octagon.
Makhachev was asked directly whether he had seen Dvalishvili’s response after he raised the Russian flag following his win. “Ah, well, of course I saw his reaction. I actually saw a video of him watching the match. From the very beginning he wasn’t happy at all with my success in the octagon, but I don’t pay attention to these things,” Makhachev said. “He has already spoken out on this matter many times, but Petr Yan won and raised the flag in the octagon, and I think he will win again now and silence him.”
Makhachev also broke down the match itself, explaining that while he got the win, it did not go quite as smoothly as he had hoped.
“Of course, I’m happy with the victory, but I thought the match would be easier. I wouldn’t say things didn’t go according to plan; I just expected it to be a little easier. My opponents are preparing better every time, and the competition keeps getting tougher, especially with athletes coming from different weight classes,” he said.
Makhachev described the specific challenges his opponent presented in the cage.
He noted, “He has a very difficult style to deal with. It’s hard to get close to him because of his long arms and legs. The only opening I saw was his front leg, so that’s what I kept targeting. I had noticed that weakness a long time ago.”
On the topic of records, Makhachev noted that his title fig ht streak is one of the achievements he values most, though he pointed out he is not the only one closing in on notable marks.
“There are athletes there who are, you could say, breathing down my neck, and there are some who already have 10 victories,” he said. He added that he expects the level of competition in his division to keep rising, saying he anticipates “at least three more such spectacular and difficult matches” ahead of him.
[Editor’s Note: Quotes have been translated and edited for clarity and readability.]
