Smith: "Makhachev is a more versatile fighter than Khabib"

Anthony Smith, a welterweight, compared the organization's current and former lightweight champions Islam Makhachev and Khabib Nurmagomedov.

"Islam is a more versatile fighter than Khabib. I think Islam has better striking technique, and he's probably better at going for parterre holds. He's definitely better at leg kicks. So he has more skills. But Khabib was incredibly good at what he did. He was good at imposing his will on any opponent. I would say that Islam is more 'skilful', but Khabib was still better because of the fact that he had a strong side where there was just nowhere to be better."