The coach of UFC lightweight champion Islam Makhachev, Javier Mendes, has spoken out about Arman Tsarukyan, the division's top-ranked fighter.
"We don't think of Arman as a major threat. We don't talk about him at all. We just see him as someone that Islam wants to fight. Islam wants to fight him to clean up the division.
Islam is such a fighter in general, he doesn't talk about his opponents. It's not just Arman we don't talk about, we don't talk about anybody. There is no such thing as guys discussing opponents in the gym. These people are professionals, they need to train, eat, sleep. Arman is a good talent, but Islam is the best fighter outside of weight classes," MMA Mania quoted Mendes as saying.
Recall that on the night of June 2 at UFC 302 in Newark, USA, Makhachev will defend the belt against Dustin Puryear. It is expected that in case of victory his next opponent will be Tsarukyan.
