Exuce.com – In the eyes of the featherweight standout, Brian Ortega, no one is exempt from being submitted, not even the reigning UFC king, Islam Makhachev.
Makhachev, the Russian warrior, boasts an impressive record of 26 fights with only one bitter taste of defeat in his entire career, delivered by Adriano Marthins via knockout.
Remarkably, Makhachev has never been defeated through submissions, showcasing his exceptional ground-fighting skills. Ortega acknowledges the prowess of Makhachev but is eager to test his submission abilities against him.
“I’ve always been interested in testing my submission skills against Khabib when he was active,” Ortega stated, as reported by Juara.net from Sport-Express.ru. “Now, it’s with Islam (Makhachev). It’s not about underestimating; I’m just curious. Everyone can be submitted, no exceptions. The question is whether you can do it or not.”
Ortega further expressed his interest in training with Khabib Nurmagomedov, a retired UFC legend known for his impeccable submission defense. He believes that such training could provide valuable insights into why fighters like Khabib and Makhachev are notoriously challenging to submit.
Discussing the impenetrable ground defense of Khabib and Makhachev, the martial art of Sambo, originating from the Soviet Union, is often hailed as the contributing factor.
Despite the intrigue, Ortega remains cautious in drawing conclusions and is open to exploring the effectiveness of Sambo through firsthand experience.
“I don’t know, my friend,” he explained. “I haven’t studied Sambo. Maybe one day, I’ll go to Russia to learn it. That way, I can find out. But in my heart, it’s still all about Jiu-Jitsu,” Ortega added.
As the speculation grows, fight enthusiasts eagerly await the possibility of witnessing a ground battle between Ortega’s Jiu-Jitsu and Makhachev’s Sambo in the UFC arena.
