Cain Velasquez backs Islam Makhachev to extend historic UFC run

Cain Velasquez, the Hall of Famer and former UFC heavyweight champion, has publicly backed Islam Makhachev to continue his historic dominance in the Octagon. Speaking to Red Corner MMA, Velasquez praised Makhachev as a complete mixed martial artist who has mastered every aspect of the sport.

Velasquez, who was himself developed into a champion by American Kickboxing Academy head coach Javier Mendez, emphasized that Makhachev is in excellent hands under the same mentor. "Islam is a special type of athlete," Velasquez said. "He's one of the guys at the pinnacle of this sport... He's somebody who has mastered all aspects of MMA." Velasquez noted that Mendez has a proven track record of building champions, having previously developed multiple UFC title holders including Daniel Cormier, Luke Rockhold, and Khabib Nurmagomedov.

Makhachev's resume speaks for itself. The 28-1 fighter has compiled a 16-fight undefeated streak in the UFC dating back to 2015. He holds the record for the most lightweight title defenses at four before moving up to welterweight, where he decisively captured the 170-pound championship by defeating Jack Della Maddalena. Makhachev is scheduled to make his first welterweight title defense against Ian Garry (17-1) at UFC 330 on August 15 at the Xfinity Mobile Center in Philadelphia. A victory would extend his win streak to 17 consecutive fights, breaking the current UFC record for the longest winning streak in organizational history.