Khabib Nurmagomedov: "I don't mean Islam JDM insult"- Prominent UFC analyst compares Islam Makhachev’s drawing power to Khabib Nurmagomedov's

Islam Makhachev’s rise to the top is often compared to that of his mentor and teammate, Khabib Nurmagomedov. However, according to Chael Sonnen, UFC 322, despite its blockbuster setup, is missing that unmistakable big-fight energy.

Sonnen said Makhachev may have taken over Nurmagomedov’s global fan base. That being said, he argued that the anticipation around the former UFC lightweight champion's fight against Jack Della Maddalena feels muted.

The card is sold out and is expected to generate close to $20 million gate, potentially surpassing the Conor McGregor vs. Eddie Alvarez record from 2016. Yet, Sonnen pointed out that the buzz on the ground doesn’t reflect those numbers.

Speaking in a recent appearance on The Ariel Helwani Show, Sonnen said:

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"No, I don’t [feel the buzz]. Nothing! And I don’t mean Islam JDM insult. Here’s something I learned from you [Helwani], and you said it about Khabib [that] he’s the world’s most famous Muslim athlete. Yes. I think in his absence that probably got passed on to Islam or at least right there to a degree. So perhaps they’re marketing it in a way because it’s sold out. It’s absolutely packed business. They got a huge gate waiting for almost $20 million that they’re going to get ready to announce. But I’m just sharing with you the places I go. No, no, it’s not [generating buzz]."

He added:

"Well, one of my guesses is because maybe they did go to a different crowd, a different marketing than I personally feel. Secondly, where are we at with ESPN at the helm, but Paramount coming in?... Perhaps. I haven’t actually experienced that or seen that where I can tell you, hey, we list out on that... But perhaps because I feel it’s a little bit small.”

Check out Chael Sonnen's comments below (26:00):

Islam Makhachev claims he’ll retire the moment Khabib Nurmagomedov tells him to

Islam Makhachev has revealed that his fighting future also depends on Khabib Nurmagomedov’s word. The Dagestani fighter said he would retire the moment Nurmagomedov asked him to, considering that he's been a mentor throughout his career.

Makhachev faces Jack Della Maddalena this Saturday at UFC 322 in Madison Square Garden, with the chance to become a two-division champion. The 34-year-old Russian is one win away from joining a short list of fighters to hold titles in multiple weight classes.

Speaking ahead of the clash in a recent episode of WEIGHING IN podcast, Makhachev said:

"Khabib is like my older brother. If he told me, for example, ‘Hey, you have to stop tomorrow, no more fighting’, I would listen to him... He’s the guy in our gym who takes care of us, who controls us and always wishes us the best, he knows how to make the champions, not just in the gym, in my life, he did everything for me."