Ali Abdel-Aziz: Two More Wins Make Makhachev the Greatest in History

10 hours ago7 min read

Ali Abdel-Aziz, the formidable manager behind some of MMA's most dominant athletes, has thrown down a gauntlet that echoes through the halls of combat sports history, declaring that his charge, Islam Makhachev, stands on the precipice of immortality. In a sport often fractured by divisional debates and fleeting allegiances, Abdel-Aziz's proclamation that Makhachev is already the world's best fighter, pound-for-pound, is bold, yet it's his projection for the Dagestani phenom that truly ignites the imagination.With a pivotal title fight against the surging Jack Della Maddalena slated to headline UFC 322 in New York this November, the narrative is set for a legacy-defining moment. Abdel-Aziz's conviction is absolute; he sees Makhachev not merely defeating Maddalena but using that victory to equal the legendary Anderson Silva's hallowed record of 16 consecutive wins, a streak that has long stood as the untouchable benchmark for sustained excellence in the UFC's modern era.But it's the next step, the seventeenth victory, that Abdel-Aziz earmarks for true greatness, a win that would, in his expert opinion, anoint Makhachev as the single greatest fighter in the annals of mixed martial arts. This isn't just hyperbole from a loyal manager; it's a claim backed by a chillingly dominant resume.Makhachev's path of destruction through the lightweight division has been a masterclass in multifaceted dominance, featuring nine finishes in his last ten outings. He didn't just beat former champions; he dismantled them.The submission victory over Charles Oliveira to claim the throne was a statement of technical superiority, while his two hard-fought decisions against the formidable Alexander Volkanovski, the featherweight king who ventured up in weight, demonstrated a profound level of grit, fight IQ, and cardiovascular fortitude that separates the very good from the truly elite. Placing Makhachev's run in a broader historical context reveals the staggering weight of Abdel-Aziz's claim.The 'greatest of all time' conversation has traditionally been a three-way dance between Silva, with his spider-like precision and record-setting streak; Jon Jones, a prodigy whose reign over two divisions was marred only by controversy outside the cage; and Georges St-Pierre, the epitome of athletic perfection and strategic genius. Makhachev's case rests on a different foundation—the suffocating, Sambo-based pressure of the Dagestani school, honed under the watchful eye of his mentor, the undefeated Khabib Nurmagomedov.Where Silva was flashy and unpredictable, Makhachev is a relentless force of nature. Where Jones was creatively destructive, Makhachev is systematically efficient.His style, while perhaps less visually spectacular to the casual fan, is a technical purist's dream, a seamless blend of world-class wrestling, ever-improving striking, and an unparalleled grappling game that turns the octagon into a personal torture chamber for his opponents. The upcoming bout with Della Maddalena at Madison Square Garden, a venue steeped in fighting lore, is fraught with its own perils.The Australian is no mere stepping stone; he is a knockout artist on a prodigious win streak of his own, possessing the kind of one-punch power that can rewrite any script. This is the classic striker-versus-grappler dynamic, a timeless MMA conflict that will test Makhachev's ability to implement his game plan against a dangerous, confident challenger.Should he navigate this threat, the landscape ahead is equally fascinating. A move to welterweight for a second title, a prospect long discussed, would offer a new set of challenges and a chance to achieve a level of crossover dominance that even his predecessor Khabib did not pursue.Conversely, cleaning out a lightweight division that still holds names like Arman Tsarukyan and a resurgent Dustin Poirier would further cement his legacy at 155 pounds. Ultimately, Abdel-Aziz's statement is more than just managerial boosterism; it is a strategic framing of a legacy in real-time.He is defining the terms of the debate, setting a clear, quantifiable bar for greatness: surpass Silva's record and continue the reign. In doing so, he is challenging the MMA world to look past the flash and narrative and recognize the sheer, unadulterated dominance of a fighter who is methodically compiling a resume that may one day render all arguments moot. The journey to 'greatest of all time' is a marathon, not a sprint, and with Ali Abdel-Aziz charting the course, Islam Makhachev is now just two victories away from the finish line.

#featured

#Islam Makhachev

#Ali Abdelaziz

#UFC 322

#title fight

#Jack Della Maddalena

#greatest of all time

#win streak

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