Overview
- Islam Makhachev is training at Frankie Edgar’s Iron Army Academy in New York for his Nov. 15 main event against welterweight champion Jack Della Maddalena at Madison Square Garden.
- A RedCornerMMA clip shows Khabib Nurmagomedov pressing Makhachev in the gym, prompting the joking line, “Everything was fine until you arrived two days ago.”
- Makhachev says he is bulking with twice-daily sessions, creatine and protein, and he is sparring bigger partners including Mukhamed Berkhamov, who weighs about 91 kilos.
- The former lightweight titleholder says he is committed to welterweight and is not interested in returning to 155 pounds for a fight with Ilia Topuria.
- Makhachev told ESPN MMA that Arman Tsarukyan "has to be next" for Topuria, while a Craig Jones Instagram post relayed unverified advice allegedly from Conor McGregor to Della Maddalena.