Islam Makhachev thinks there’s a reason why there’s only one American champion currently in the UFC.
With Jon Jones retiring and relinquishing his UFC heavyweight title, only women’s bantamweight champion Kayla Harrison remains as an American champion in the promotion.
Makhachev (27-1 MMA, 16-1 UFC), who vacated his UFC lightweight title to challenge welterweight champ Jack Della Maddalena later in the year, gave his take on why there haven’t been too many champions from the U.S. in the past several years.
“They just started signing more of our guys – that’s the reason,” Makhachev said in an interview with Ushatayka’s Islam Babadzhanov (h/t Championship Rounds). “… Well, if they keep signing, I’m 100 percent sure there will be more champions from Caucasus, Dagestan, Chechnya.
“No brainer: Our guys live for this, for this sport. In the USA, for example, they don’t worry even if they competed bad. But behind our guys, there is a family, the whole city, the whole Republic. And (they) feel this responsibility, and go out with full responsibility and win.”
Makhachev was asked about the marketability of champions from the Caucasus, Dagestan, and Chechnya.
“I agree, and that’s why I’m explaining (to) guys to learn English and how to promote their fights,” Makhachev said in the same interview. “That’s an important thing. We have to sell live events and be interesting to the public.”
