Former UFC heavyweight champion Cain Velasquez has praised Islam Makhachev's rise to the top of the sport and credited longtime coach Javier Mendez for helping shape the reigning welterweight champion into one of MMA's most complete fighters.
Speaking with Red Corner MMA this week, Velasquez highlighted the influence Mendez has had on Makhachev's career while discussing the success that has come out of American Kickboxing Academy.
Although Makhachev works closely with former lightweight champion Khabib Nurmagomedov, who has become an increasingly important figure in his camp, the Russian star still trains under the guidance of Mendez, who remains an active member of his coaching team.
Velasquez, who spent the majority of his own career under Mendez at AKA, believes the veteran coach deserves significant credit for Makhachev's continued success.
"He's a special type of athlete, as we all know," Velasquez said. "He's one of those guys that are at the pinnacle of this sport here."
The former heavyweight champion also pointed to Mendez's reputation for developing elite talent and expressed confidence that Makhachev is receiving everything necessary to continue his dominance.
"I talk with Javier all the time," Velasquez said. "Islam and those guys are always doing great, so they're in great hands. Javier is the one who builds champions. He's a master at what he does.
"So he's always with those guys. He's always with Islam. So I know they're in great hands. They're getting exactly what they need as far as the fighting goes, the training goes, all that."
Makhachev has established himself as one of the most accomplished fighters in the sport, earning widespread recognition as one of the top pound-for-pound competitors in MMA. Velasquez expects that success to continue, pointing to the champion's well-rounded skill set.
"So I see Islam just continuously doing what he's doing. And that's winning impressively," Velasquez said. "He's somebody who's mastered all aspects of MMA."
Makhachev is set to defend his welterweight title against Ian Machado Garry at UFC 330 on Aug. 15, with another dominant performance potentially further cementing his status as one of the defining fighters of his generation.
