Khabib Nurmagomedov was incredibly delighted to see his longtime friend and teammate Islam Makhachev record a submission win at UFC Vegas 31.
Challenging Thiago Moises in the main event, Makhachev put on a dominating show against the Brazilian. After three fairly comfortable rounds, the Dagestani took Moises’ back and choked him out viciously in the fourth frame.
Nurmagomedov, one of Makhachev’s cornermen, was thrilled to witness his teammate’s win.
At UFC Vegas 31, Makhachev registered his eighth consecutive win in the promotion. Prior to Saturday’s win, he had defeated Drew Dober at UFC 259 in March earlier this year.
On the back of an impressive eight-fight win streak, the 29-year-old is considered the brightest prospect in the 155-pound division. Also touted as the next Khabib Nurmagomedov, Makhachev is expected to fight a higher-ranked opponent in his next outing.
The #9-ranked lightweight made a slew of callouts following his win over Moises. During his post-fight interview, he challenged Rafael dos Anjos, only to later shift his focus to Tony Ferguson. Makhachev said he wants to “help Ferguson retire.” He also called out Michael Chandler and expressed interest in facing Beneil Dariush as well.