logo
Khabib Nurmagomedov Points to Jack Della Maddalena's Size Advantage Over Islam Makhachev Amid UFC Rule Change Push

Khabib Nurmagomedov Points to Jack Della Maddalena's Size Advantage Over Islam Makhachev Amid UFC Rule Change Push

Time of India6 days ago
Images via Imagn: Islam Makhachev, Jack Della Maddalena and Khabib Nurmagomedov
With Ilia Topuria winning the UFC's 155-pound crown and Islam Makhachev slated to fight for the welterweight title later this year, the future of the promotion is certainly looking bright.
However, many fans were dismayed at the fact that they didn't get to see the two best fighters in the promotion settle their feud inside the Octagon.
Moreover, experts even cited that the Dagestani would make easy work of fighters at 170lbs, which included the reigning champion, Jack Della Maddalena. However, UFC Hall of Famer and Makhachev's mentor, Khabib Nurmagomedov, has other thoughts.
Khabib Nurmagomedov Believes Jack Della Maddalena to Be the Toughest Challenge of Islam Makhachev's Career
In a recent interview with Adam Zubayraev on the Hustle Show, Nurmagomedov said that JDM would be a much tougher opponent for Makhachev than Topuria.
'I think Maddalena is the toughest opponent in Islam's career. That's my opinion, not Charles, no one else. None of those other fighters. Not even Ilia, if that fight were to happen. That's just my personal opinion.'
The Hall of Famer cited JDM's size and strength as the reason for his analysis and added, 'First of all, Maddalena is twice the size of Ilia. Taller, bigger, stronger legs, bigger frame. His boxing is just as good.
by Taboola
by Taboola
Sponsored Links
Sponsored Links
Promoted Links
Promoted Links
You May Like
20 Things You Should Stop Wearing After 40
TheSeniorMag.com
Undo
And, in grappling, he scrambles really well if you've watched him. For me, if I was preparing Islam for either Ilia or Maddalena, I'd be more concerned about Maddalena (than Ilia).'
With Dana White announcing the headliners for UFC 320 and UFC 321, it is possible that JDM and Makhachev would slug it out for the 170-pound gold at UFC 322 in November at Madison Square Garden.
Khabib Nurmagomedov Suggests a Big Change in the Current UFC Fight Rule Book
The UFC's standard rules in 2025 still follow the Unified Rules of Mixed Martial Arts, first introduced back in 2001.
These rules were brought in to help legitimize the sport, moving it away from its early reputation as "human cockfighting" during the late 1990s. With the new framework came time limits, judges, weight classes, and the 10-point must scoring system, all aimed at making MMA more professional and mainstream.
However, Khabib Nurmagomedov is now suggesting some major changes to these long-standing rules. He now mentors top talents like Makhachev and Umar Nurmagomedov, guiding them toward championship success.
With his wealth of experience, Khabib believes it's time for a rule overhaul.
In the same interview with Zubayraev, Khabib shared a bold idea: 'I'd change the rules. Like, you step into the Octagon – regular fights are 15 minutes, title fights are 25, right? I'd say no rounds. No rounds at all. I always wondered – what's the point of rounds? What's the point of it all? It's for entertainment, they pause for ads and all of that.'
The UFC Hall of Famer believes the current round-based format prioritizes business and television over the purity of sport. He argued that eliminating rounds would make fights more authentic and less driven by commercial breaks.
'I get it – it's for business. But if we're talking sport, I'd get rid of rounds, no rounds at all. They just step in – that's it. There should be rules, no strikes to the back of the head, no groin strikes, that sort of thing, yeah, but I'd still get rid of rounds.'
Also read:
Former UFC fighter Ben Askren shares emotional ride-home message after surviving complex lung surgery
For real-time updates, scores, and highlights, follow our live coverage of the
India vs England Test match
here.
Catch Rani Rampal's inspiring story on Game On, Episode 4. Watch Here!
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Yash Soni of Jodhpur, Jaipur's Kartik Jain cause big upsets in Rajasthan State Ranking Badminton tournament; Suhasi Verma, Parul Choudhary, Anvi Rathore in semis
Yash Soni of Jodhpur, Jaipur's Kartik Jain cause big upsets in Rajasthan State Ranking Badminton tournament; Suhasi Verma, Parul Choudhary, Anvi Rathore in semis

Time of India

time35 minutes ago

  • Time of India

Yash Soni of Jodhpur, Jaipur's Kartik Jain cause big upsets in Rajasthan State Ranking Badminton tournament; Suhasi Verma, Parul Choudhary, Anvi Rathore in semis

Jaipur: There was a series of stunning results in the ongoing Rajasthan State Ranking Badminton tournament at the Sawai Man Singh Indoor Stadium here on Tuesday. In the Under-19 boys singles, Yash Soni of Jodhpur caused a big upset by defeating Bhilwara's top seed Harsh Taylor in straight games 21-15, 21-15 and knocked him out of the competition. Jaipur's Kartik Jain rallied back to shock second seed Jagrut Binani of Bikaner in three tough games 18-21, 21-13, 21-9 in the men's singles pre-quarterfinals. In the U-19 boys doubles quarter finals, Churu's second seeded pair Daksh Bhati and Taksh Bhati were knocked out by Bikaner's Bhuvnesh Ojha and Vedant Joshi in three games that lasted for about 55 minutes, 22-24, 21-12, 21-19. Many seeded players performed as per their seedings and reached the next round. In the men's category, top seed Manish Phogat thumped fifth seed Bhuvan Singh of Bharatpur 21-12, 21-12 to seal his semifinal spot. In the other quarterfinals, Kartik Jain of Jaipur ousted Daksh Bhati 21-17, 21-15, Harsh Chaplot surprised third seed Vansh Sharma of Bikaner 21-13, 21-15. In the Under-19 boys singles, second seed Gurtej Singh Washir of Jaipur continued his impressive form and dismissed Bhanu Pratap Jatoliya of Jaipur in three hard-fought games 21-14, 22-24, 21-12. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Is this legal? Access all TV channels without a subscription! Techno Mag Learn More Undo In the semi-finals of U-19 girls doubles, second seeded Aditi Sharma-Sakshi Singh pair from Kota and Udaipur defeated Churu and Rajsamand pair Khushi Poonia and Vanita Chaudhary 21-14, 21-12 and entered the finals. In the men's doubles quarter-finals, first seeded pair Aryan Tyagi and Murali Sharma beat Dipanshu and Sachin Jhajharia 21-13, 21-10, while fifth seeded Ark Jain and Lakshya Chawat also made it to the last-four stage. In the women's singles quarter finals, Suhasi Verma of Jaipur outclassed Nehal Sisodia to secure a semis berth. Teenager Anvi Rathore, Jaipur trounced Poonam Swami, Tanisha Singh, Rajsamand thrashed Anita Tamra, Udaipur, while India shuttler Parul Chaudhary, Churu got the better of Kavya Swami of Chittorgarh and entered the semi-finals.

No decision made on Jasprit Bumrah playing 5th Test: Indian batting coach ahead of series decider
No decision made on Jasprit Bumrah playing 5th Test: Indian batting coach ahead of series decider

Time of India

time2 hours ago

  • Time of India

No decision made on Jasprit Bumrah playing 5th Test: Indian batting coach ahead of series decider

Indian batting coach Sitanshu Kotak siad on Tuesday that World No. 1 seamer Jasprit Bumrah is "fit" but no discussion on his playing in the fifth Test of the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy against England starting from July 31 at the Oval. While speaking at the press conference, Kotak said, "No discussion on Jasprit Bumrah playing. Bumrah is fit now. According to his load, he has bowled one inning in the last match. So, obviously head coach, our physio and captain, will have a discussion and decide." Explore courses from Top Institutes in Please select course: Select a Course Category Data Science MBA healthcare Finance Product Management Project Management Digital Marketing others Design Thinking Operations Management Artificial Intelligence Healthcare Degree Others Management CXO Technology Public Policy PGDM Leadership Data Science Cybersecurity Data Analytics MCA Skills you'll gain: Data Analysis & Interpretation Programming Proficiency Problem-Solving Skills Machine Learning & Artificial Intelligence Duration: 24 Months Vellore Institute of Technology VIT MSc in Data Science Starts on Aug 14, 2024 Get Details Skills you'll gain: Strategic Data-Analysis, including Data Mining & Preparation Predictive Modeling & Advanced Clustering Techniques Machine Learning Concepts & Regression Analysis Cutting-edge applications of AI, like NLP & Generative AI Duration: 8 Months IIM Kozhikode Professional Certificate in Data Science and Artificial Intelligence Starts on Jun 26, 2024 Get Details Bumrah has been the best bowler for the Indian team in the ongoing series, having grabbed 14 wickets with two fifers at an average of 26.00 and an economy rate of 3.04. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Join new Free to Play WWII MMO War Thunder War Thunder Play Now During the announcement of India's squad for the Test tour of England, chief selector Ajit Agarkar confirmed that Bumrah was advised not to play consecutive Tests as part of his workload management. The precaution around Bumrah's usage stems from a stress reaction in his back during the fifth Test against Australia in Sydney in January. In the five-match India-England Test series, Bumrah featured in the first, third, and fourth Tests; however, India lost two fixtures and managed to pull off a draw in the third. Live Events Bumrah finished with figures of 2/112 in his 33 overs in the Manchester Test. After the conclusion of the four Tests, India remains alive, trailing 1-2 as both teams return to London for one last contest of the five-match series. In the series opener at Headingley and the third Test at Lord's, India were outbowled by the hosts, leading to their downfall. India pulled off a stellar draw at Old Trafford in Manchester to stay hot on England's heels as the gruelling series heads towards its conclusion.

Travis and Jason Kelce step into wild UFC fight with Chuck Liddell in viral Garage Beer ad
Travis and Jason Kelce step into wild UFC fight with Chuck Liddell in viral Garage Beer ad

Time of India

time2 hours ago

  • Time of India

Travis and Jason Kelce step into wild UFC fight with Chuck Liddell in viral Garage Beer ad

Travis and Jason Kelce step into wild UFC fight with Chuck Liddell in viral Garage Beer ad (Image via Getty) Jason Kelce and Travis Kelce are stepping away from football and into the world of fun commercials. The NFL brothers teamed up with UFC legend Chuck Liddell for a new Garage Beer ad. The shoot happened in Los Angeles in July 2025, and early clips show a playful martial arts battle, full of jokes, laughs, and a surprise knockout punch from 'The Iceman' himself. Jason Kelce and Travis Kelce step into a fake fight with Chuck Liddell in a fun new beer ad Jason Kelce and Travis Kelce have teamed up with UFC Hall of Famer Chuck Liddell for a fun new commercial. The shoot took place in Los Angeles earlier this month, and it's all for their beer brand, Garage Beer. In a behind-the-scenes video shared by TMZ Sports on July 27, 2025, the NFL brothers can be seen joking around with Chuck. Jason wears a white karate uniform, called a gi, and faces off with Chuck in a funny martial arts scene. Travis stands on the side, acting like a coach and cheering his brother on. The short clip ends with Chuck Liddell playfully 'knocking out' Jason with a fake punch. The full ad will be released on August 7. Fans are excited to see the full version, especially after seeing Jason's earlier karate-style ad for Garage Beer in March 2025, where he played a character called 'Brewmite.' Jason Kelce, Travis Kelce, and Chuck Liddell share laughs on set while promoting Garage Beer Jason, 36, retired from the NFL earlier this year after playing 13 seasons with the Philadelphia Eagles. Since then, he has been busy with other projects, including commercials and his podcast New Heights with Travis. Travis, 35, is still playing for the Kansas City Chiefs. He recently started training camp for the 2025 NFL season. Despite his busy schedule and public relationship with singer Taylor Swift, he joined Jason for the Garage Beer ad. Also Read: Taylor Swift And Travis Kelce Baby Name Reveal In Missouri Sparks A Viral Fan Frenzy Chuck Liddell, 55, is a UFC legend known as 'The Iceman.' He joined the brothers in Los Angeles to shoot the commercial. In the clip, all three are seen laughing, showing that the mood was fun and light. A TMZ source who was on set said, 'The Kelce brothers were having a blast. Chuck was all in for the fun. It was more about laughs than punches.' Garage Beer is part of the Kelce brothers' growing brand. Along with their podcast and fun ads, they've become popular beyond football. The commercial with Chuck Liddell is expected to show more of their funny side. It's not just about selling beer, it's about showing who they are as brothers, athletes, and entertainers. FAQs Catch Rani Rampal's inspiring story on Game On, Episode 4. Watch Here!

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store