Latest news with #Javier&MoShow
USA Today
28-04-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Coach: Islam Makhachev needs to surpass two UFC fighters to become most well-rounded ever
Coach: Islam Makhachev needs to surpass two UFC fighters to become most well-rounded ever Javier Mendez thinks UFC lightweight champion Islam Makhachev is en route to becoming an all-time great. Makhachev (27-1 MMA, 16-1 UFC) recently broke the record for most title defenses in UFC lightweight history when he quickly submitted Renato Moicano at UFC 311 in January. Mendez has always had high praise for Makhachev, but isn't ready to call him the most well-rounded fighter in the sport just yet. He ranks former UFC champions Jon Jones and Demetrious Johnson higher. "I've been saying he's the most well-rounded fighter in the lightweight division," Mendez said on his "Javier & Mo Show." "The reason why I don't go with all time is only because of Demetrious. I think Demetrious is unbelievable. Jon Jones is another unbelievable well-rounded guy. But in the lightweight division, I can easily say Islam Makhachev is hands down. "And I've been saying that a long time. But, to say over everybody, there's two guys that are in contention for that title and that is Jon Jones and that's Demetrious, but having Islam in that category is unbelievable because at the rate he's going, if he continues going, he could very well end up becoming the GOAT. It's a good possibility that it could happen, and he will have earned it." Makhachev is currently linked to a potential title defense against former UFC featherweight champion Ilia Topuria, even though his team dismissed the idea. Justin Gaethje is also another option after he rebounded with a win over Rafael Fiziev at UFC 313.
USA Today
17-04-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
UFC champ Islam Makhachev's coach says Paddy Pimblett 'deserves' next title shot
UFC champ Islam Makhachev's coach says Paddy Pimblett 'deserves' next title shot Javier Mendez would have no issues if Paddy Pimblett was awarded a UFC title shot. Pimblett (23-3 MMA, 7-0 UFC) remained unbeaten in the octagon when he finished-former title challenger Michael Chandler by TKO in this past Saturday's UFC 314 co-headliner in Miami. "The Baddy" called out top contenders Charles Oliveira, Justin Gaethje, and Dustin Poirier, but UFC lightweight champion Islam Makhachev's (27-1 MMA, 16-1 UFC) head coach thinks Pimblett has earned a title shot already. "Paddy is ready to face anybody," Mendez said on his "Javier & Mo Show" podcast. "I mean, what he's done already, his credentials, his winning record in the UFC, his hype, and what he can do, how he can motivate people. If they give him the next title shot, he deserves it." Mendez admits he wasn't initially sold on Pimblett, but he was eventually able to win him over. He also likes what Pimblett brings to the table from a promotional aspect. 'Let's see who they give him to. I don't know, but is he worthy? Yes," Mendez said. "He's very interesting. He's got all of England behind him and a lot of America behind him. Most of America will be behind him. He has a lot of fans, and I'm a fan. I wasn't a big fan in the beginning when he fought Jared Gordon, but I've become a huge fan." The American Kickboxing head coach thought Jared Gordon beat Pimblett when they fought at UFC 282 but has seen vast strides in Pimblett's game ever since. "He's improved every single time," Mendez said of Pimblett. "Every time he comes out, his confidence is stronger and stronger all the time. His speaking is pretty impressive. I like him. He's fun to watch. I can't understand half the words he says, but I do pick up on him. ...He's funny."
USA Today
30-03-2025
- USA Today
Coach Javier Mendez sheds light on Cain Velasquez sentencing, recounts emotional conversation
Javier Mendez has been by Cain Velasquez's side through pretty much every life scenario, and that was no different during the former UFC heavyweight champion's recent legal battle with charges including attempted murder. Velasquez was sentenced March 24 to five years in prison minus time served after he shot at Harry Goularte, a man accused of molesting Velasquez's son at a daycare. Velasquez struck the man's stepfather resulting in injury. Mendez hoped Judge Arthur Bocanegra would simply hand Velasquez a time-served sentence, so he was disappointed with the verdict but ultimately praised the judge for his compassion. Mendez also added that he heard the day of the verdict was the second-to-last day for Bocanegra, who was retiring. Mendez pointed to brain scans that Velasquez took when he was in prison, the results of which showed deficiencies in impulsivity, among other things. The brain issues were previously referenced by Velasquez's then-attorney, Mark Geragos, but not in-depth. 'I'm not happy with the judgement because he didn't deserve any more judgement,' Mendez said on the 'Javier & Mo Show.' 'Obviously, what he did was not right and it was reckless and endangered people's lives. I agree with that. But there was also a brain scan done of himself when he was in custody. They came and did a brain scan of him and they did a bunch of us, also. They found that Cain had zero impulsivity and ability to control his emotions on stress like that. Basically, his EEG they call it, they did a scan of his brain and they figured out he could not control it. I was blown away. … Cain rated a zero in impulsivity. He couldn't stop himself. What he did, he couldn't stop himself. He just reacted. He could not stop it. He was incapable of it. Science proved it was a fact. So he could not do anything about his feelings, his rage. He just went.' When will Cain Velasquez be released? While the judge credited Velasquez with 1283 days served, meaning 542 days remained. But as Mendez understands it, Velasquez will only serve somewhere between four and five months due to good behavior. 'Basically Cain has a year-and-a-half left,' Mendez said. 'But the way it works, usually, under good behavior, you either get an 85 percent due time or an 80 percent. So depending on where they put Cain, it'll be either an 80 percent or 85 percent. If he's at 80 percent, 80 percent of five years is what? It's four years. So basically, he'll do four to five months. Or if it's an 85, he'll probably do eight months with good behavior. I know he's going to be because when he's in there, do you know what he's going to be? He's going to be an asset to the prisoners that are in there. He's going to be an unbelievable teacher to teach them what it takes to be a man and a father because that's exactly who he is – and a proud man.' 'I would've done worse' Mendez reiterated what his student Velasquez did was not right, but said he understood it. In fact, Mendez said if he was in Velasquez's shoes the only thing he would've done differently would've been to act more strategically. 'To be honest with you, because I wouldn't be able to think clearly, I would've done worse,' Mendez said. 'Because I would have been of clear mind. I would've made that guy look at my face when I did it to him. I would've done worse. I would've done worse. I'm not going to sit here and say I would've done the same thing that he did. No, no. I would've thought it out properly. I would've done it and I would've found a way where no one could figure out it was me. I would've done it. I would've done it. I would've done it while he looked at me for what he did to my child. I would've had him look at me while I punished him. I would've done that. I know that. That's how severe it is for us as parents. You touch our child and we're going to do whatever we can to make sure you never touch another child.' Emotional conversation with Velasquez Mendez spoke for about 30 minutes on the topic of Velasquez. There was emotionally-charged dialogue throughout. But nothing choked him up more than recalling when Velasquez relayed to him that he'd told his son about what happened. Mendez recalled, 'Cain says to me, he says, 'Guess what?' I go, 'What?' Because he's kind of goofy like that. I go, 'What?' He goes, 'What do you mean, what?' He goes, 'I told him.' I go, 'What do you mean? You told who?' (He says), 'I told my son.' I go, 'What did you tell your son?' He goes, 'I told him why I was gone.' I go, 'Oh. Why?' He goes, 'Well, he needed to know why I was gone.' I go, 'No, you're right about that. He did need to know why you were gone because it's important for him to know. What did he say? Did he say anything?' He goes, 'Yeah, he said, 'Don't do it again.' Now think about that. 'Don't do it again. Don't do it again. Don't be gone again.' Now, while I'm speaking to his lawyer, who is awesome, her name is Renee Hessling. She did an awesome job. Renee, thumbs up to you. You did an awesome job. And the judge, you too. I know your hands were tied. I broke up. I started crying. I couldn't talk to her.' Above all else, Mendez said he hopes Velasquez's young son will be OK. The boy already had to endure eight months of his father being gone, and now may have to do so through Goularte's trial, which is set to be scheduled out in June. 'What about the boy? What about him?' Mendez said. 'What's going to happen to him now that his father is going to be away and his father can be there for him day and night while he's going through the ideal with the court case? Because you know it's going to be really rough on him.'
The Independent
14-03-2025
- Sport
- The Independent
Khabib Nurmagomedov's coach explains why Islam Makhachev is a better ‘student'
Javier Mendez, coach to Khabib Nurmagomedov and Islam Makhachev, has explained why the latter is a better 'student' than his childhood friend. Upon winning the UFC lightweight title in 2022, Makhachev emulated former champion Khabib, with whom he grew up in Dagestan, Russia. Khabib held the UFC 155lb belt from 2018 to 2020, retiring unbeaten after a successful title defence against Justin Gaethje. Charles Oliveira won the vacant strap in 2021, and after it became vacant again in 2022, Makhachev submitted the Brazilian to claim it. Since retiring from in-ring competition, Khabib has worked as a coach – often alongside his former trainer Mendez. The pair coach Makhachev, who was most recently in action in January, retaining his belt with a submission of Renato Moicano. 'The thing about Islam, like I've always said: he can change on a dime basically,' Mendez said on the first episode of the Javier & Mo Show, on Friday (14 March). 'We can change him minute from minute, round from round, second from second. He's that good that he can change and adapt. He's done it all the time. 'He's not a Khabib type. Khabib is 50-50 with me; Islam has always been 100 per cent on point, whenever I ask him – or Khabib asks him, or [the other coaches]. 'He does it. He's done what we've asked him to do. I've never asked him to do something and he didn't go out and do it. He's always done it. 'He's a great student, not a good student. He's a great student. He listens to all his coaches.' Nurmagomedov, 36, recorded three successful title defences in the UFC, submitting all three of his challengers: Conor McGregor in 2018, Dustin Poirier in 2019, and Gaethje in 2020. By submitting Moicano, Makhachev recorded a fourth successful title defence at lightweight, breaking a joint-record shared by Khabib. Moicano was stepping in for the injured Arman Tsarukyan on one day's notice. Makhachev's previous wins as champion came against Alexander Volkanovski (twice) and Poirier. The 33-year-old outpointed Volkanovski in their first meeting and knocked him out in their rematch. Volkanovski entered both fights as featherweight champion. Makhachev's win over Poirier came via submission, and it is possible that the Russian's next opponent could be another former foe of Khabib, in the form of Gaethje. At UFC 313 this month, Gaethje narrowly outpointed Rafael Fiziev for the second time in two years. That result took his record to 3-1 since he last challenged for the lightweight belt; he was submitted by then-champion Oliveira in 2022, following his 2020 loss to Khabib. However, Makhachev has also been linked to Ilia Topuria, who vacated the featherweight gold in February amid a planned move to lightweight.
