Tomorrow night on the main card of UFC 259, we will see a very fun matchup in the lightweight division. Two top prospects will go head-to-head as Islam Makhachev (18-1) takes on Drew Dober (23-9).
Makhachev is already being touted as Khabib 2.0 by many in the media. The UFC‘s lightweight champion, Khabib Nurmagomedov, is a lead training partner of Islam Makhachev. Both men are from Dagestan and they’ve grown up together in the gym.
Makhachev also trains out of AKA just like Khabib. The lightweight champion is one of the lead cornermen for Makhachev tomorrow night. Makhachev has incredible wrestling, but his striking is also very advanced.
The reason why many are calling him Khabib 2.0 is the fact that his striking is already at such a high level. It’s hard to find a weakness in Makhachev’s game which is why many are saying that he will be the lightweight champion one day.
Drew Dober is trying to stop all the hype around Makhachev. Dober is a sizable underdog, but many are underestimating just how good he is. Since 2017, he’s only lost one fight and that was against top ten contender, Beneil Dariush.
Dober is one of the dark horses in the UFC‘s lightweight division. He has a golden opportunity tomorrow night to silence the hype around Makhachev on the biggest stage possible. Dober’s all around game will make it a very difficult fight for Islam Makhachev.
UFC 259 Prediction
When it comes to UFC 259, there’s a clear reason as to why Islam Makhachev is the favorite. He might have the advantage everywhere this fight goes. While many will say Dober has the striking advantage, I actually think it’s relatively even.
For Drew Dober, one thing to watch for is his right hook. I’ve seen Makhachev susceptible to getting hit with right hands and Dober does have the power to hurt him. However, I’m not sure Dober is going to be able to stop Makhachev from taking him down.
Makhachev is going to dictate where this fight takes place. If he wants to stand, I believe they will stand. However, if he wants to take this down, I’m not sure Drew Dober can stop it. Dober will make him work for everything tomorrow at UFC 259, but I see this being another win for Islam Makhachev.
Prediction: Islam Makhachev by Unanimous Decision