Javier Mendez will have a busy few hours at UFC 311.
The American Kickboxing Academy [AKA] Head coach and founder will be in the corner next to Khabib Nurmagomedov on Saturday evening as Islam Makhachev defends his lightweight title against Arman Tsarukyan.
Before that, Javier Mendez hopes to guide Umar Nurmagomedov to a bantamweight victory over current champion Merab Dvalishvili at the Intuit Dome in California.
The respected MMA coach will also be on hand to help flyweight prospect Tagir Ulanbekov when he takes on Clayton Carpenter in the first fight of the evening at UFC 311.
Photo by Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC
Javier Mendez relaxed about the hectic UFC 311
Mendez is feeling calm as he inches closer to a huge night at UFC 311.
The 54-year-old is unfazed by the fact that he will have to face three fighters in just a few days, including back-to-back fights for the UFC 311 main and co-main event.
Mendez says Khabib Nurmagomedov gets nervous enough for both before big fights happen.
“In the past I have tried to calm Khabib down, but it doesn't work,” he told Submission Radio.
'I'm not going to try at all. I'm just going to be myself. I'm going to take care of myself and make sure I'm there to give my fighters the advice they need.
'I just stay calm. If Khabib is going to be a ball of nerves anywhere, let him! That's who he is, so I'll leave him alone.”
As for the logistics of overseeing back-to-back UFC title fights, Mendez is happy to go along with whatever MMA's premier promotion asks of him.
He added: “Whatever we do, we will make it right.
“So if we have to be there to go out with the fighters, then that's what we'll do. If we have to stay in the corner while Islam comes to us after Umar's struggle is over, then that is what we will do.
'We'll arrange it. We've been in this situation before. We've never been in a situation where it's a championship fight followed by a championship fight. I've never been in that situation with one team, but we've been in the situation where it's a co-main event and then a main event.”
The only thing that will change in the corner over the three fights Mendez will oversee is the addition of an extra body ahead of Makhachev's fourth title defense.
“It's the same corner for all three guys, with the exception of one guy who gets to be in the corner with Islam, which has been with him since I can remember,” Mendez revealed.
“He's just like his childhood buddy. He will be in the corner with him because he is always in the corner with Islam. He stands in the corner of Islam more than anyone else.”
Islam Makhachev calls dream opponent
Islam Makhachev has named Tony Ferguson as his dream opponent ahead of UFC 311.
During the height of his powers, 'El Cucuy' was one of the greatest lightweight fighters of all time.
Unfortunately, he is now well past his prime and is on an eight-fight losing streak dating back to 2020, so he will never get the chance to fight Makhachev after previously missing a clash with Khabib.
“In history, honestly not from many years ago, my brother Khabib was supposed to fight Tony Ferguson five times, they both had injuries and the fights were canceled,” Makhachev told Adin Ross.
“My dream at that time was to fight this guy because I was always with Khabib when Khabib had injuries. I asked my manager, “Hey, can I step in and fight Tony?” and Tony at that time he was a very good athlete, a very good fighter, over 10 wins in the UFC and that was one of the fights I wanted to have 3 or 4 years ago.
“He is on an eight-fight losing streak, I wish him the best, a few years ago he was one of the high level fighters of our division.”
Related topics
Comments