Islam Makhachev said he knew after 72 seconds – or the first time he took Jack Della Maddalena down – that he was going to win himself the UFC welterweight title inside Madison Square Garden.
The declaration comes as the new UFC king says he is ready for whoever the UFC throws at him — a staggering list including the likes of Ilia Topuria, Kamaru Usman, Shavkat Rakhmonov, Michael Morales and Carlos Prates.
But as for who specifically he wants?
“Everyone,” Makhachev grinned. “They’re all killers who want to take my belt … but I’m going to take my belt many times more”.
Makhachev also took aim at controversial American fighter Dillon Danis for brawling with members of his team inside the Madison Square Garden crowd, saying: “When you talk [bad] about someone for the last five years, when you meet them you have to answer what you said.
“Today I don’t think he answered.”
Told UFC boss Dana White had now banned Danis from all UFC events, he laughed: “He have to be banned from this country also”.
Islam smothers JDM to seal the win | 00:42
All of which came as White also praised the ease with which the Dagestani bogeyman ended what had been a hyped Australian JDM’s tear stretching nine years and 18 fights.
Having vacated his UFC lightweight crown to move up and chase greatness, Makhachev went and did exactly that — producing an incredibly dominant performance to equal the legendary Anderson Silva’s run for longest winning streak in UFC history.
Makhachev also used his 16th consecutive win inside the Octagon to rack up a staggering 19 minutes of control time.
Speaking afterwards of JDM, the new champ stressed his Perth rival was still “one of the best in the game” and among the hardest opponents he has ever shared an Octagon with.
Yet asked when he knew the fight was his, Makhachev replied: “When I take him down first time, I feel it’s going to be a long night for him.
“That I’m going to be able to do whatever I want with him.
“I expect for him to try to get up, but I’m working.
“I’ve watched his fights, he have a couple of sweeps … but I’m working.”
Asked what he said to fellow Australian Craig Jones, who also cornered when Makhachev twice fought and beat Alexander Volkanovski, he laughed of the BJJ superstar: “I told him, your jiu jitsu not working, you need to come to Dagestan for two or three years.
“He said ‘I will come there’.”
Double Champ Islam teases SUPERFIGHT | 04:08
White, meanwhile, said Makhachev should wake on Monday morning as the new UFC pound-for-pound king, jumping ahead of Ilia Topuria.
To which the champ says what?
“OK, thank you,” he cackled.
Elsewhere, White also explained his decision to allow Makhachev’s mentor Khabib Nurmagomedov to present him with both his old lightweight and new welterweight straps inside the cage.
“Khabib came up to me, freaking out, screaming, saying ‘can I put the belt around him please’,” the UFC boss said.
“I said ‘yeah’, and he goes and wraps him over the head with both belts.
“He took more damage getting the belts than in the fight.”
While White also suggested Makhachev’s wrestle heavy style meant “it wasn’t the most exciting title fight”, he still stopped short of suggesting referee Herb Dean should have stood them up.
It came as Topuria the big stick to both fighters afterwards, tweeting: “Islam, you need something you can’t train: emotion. You’re the most boring thing in this game. Every day I’m more certain I put you to sleep.”
Edwards DOWN! Prates delivers BRUTAL KO | 00:42
Topuria also criticised Maddalena’s performance, adding: “Jack needs an entire camp dedicated just to wrestling. What a disappointment of a champion. You should go to Georgia to learn something.”
But asked about the champ’s time spent on the ground, and without finishing, White said he was OK with it.
“I think [Makhachev] got the takedown, got the dominant position and they were trying to work, trying to move,” he said. “It’s not what everyone wants to see.
“But everyone in this room knew what the game plan would be.
“And if Jack couldn’t stop the takedown, then he at least better be able to get back to his feet. And if he couldn’t, we knew how this was going to play out.”