Demian Maia details why Oliveira can beat Islam and Khabib

Demian Maia believes that former UFC Lightweight champion Charles Oliveira can defeat Islam Makhachev and Khabib Nurmagomedov.

“If there’s a man to beat that type of fighter [Islam and Khabib], it’s Charles, because Charles has [a good] guard [game]. You have to have [a good] guard to beat someone like that, enough guard to at least survive but also be offensive, to be dangerous there. Charles has that. Charles is a dangerous fight for that type of fighter. Not to mention he’s dangerous as hell on the feet. I would put [my money] on Oliveira to win if he gets paired up against Makhachev next. I’m not a betting guy, but I would,” Maia said [via MMA Fighting].

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Maia also recalled the time when he came across Khabib Nurmagomedov before UFC 148.

“He was warming up with us, such a nice guy. The coach said ‘Demian, this kid is so tough. He’ll be champion one day.’ I asked him if he had good wrestling and he said, ‘No, he has good jiu-jitsu.’ He trained with a bunch of jiu-jitsu guys at AKA and has that incredible background in wrestling and sambo, so he combined all that,” Maia recalled.

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Khabib went on to become the UFC Lightweight champion as well and retired with a perfect record of 29-0 to his name.

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