Islam Makhachev’s wrestling isn’t enough for him to overcome four-time NCAA Division I wrestling champion Carter Starocci, at least according to fellow multi-time NCAA Division I wrestling champion Bo Nickal, who recently addressed the Dagestani’s skill set.
The middleweight contender took to X/Twitter to respond to a screenshot from a wrestling subreddit. The screenshot is of a post made from a fan who disagreed with All-American wrestler Cayden Henschel’s assessment of the UFC lightweight champion’s wrestling skills.
Henschel asserts that Makhachev, as he is now, would be an NCAA Division II wrestling champion but fail to achieve NCAA Division I glory. Nickal then echoed this take on X/Twitter.
“Let’s consider a few things. Islam would have to wrestle 174 given the amount of weight he cuts. He comes from the mountains of Dagestan which historically produces some of the toughest people on the planet. Islam’s MMA wrestling is the highest level, which already makes him a formidable opponent.”
Nickal continues to praise Makhachev throughout the tweet but ultimately makes his full assessment clear.
“He’s got tons of competition experience, strength, endurance, and great technique, and a high IQ. He’s taken down everyone put in front of him with relative ease. With that being said @carterstarocci wins by pin 1st period.”
While an answer could be provided if Makhachev and Starocci were to ever wrestle at the American Kickboxing Academy, as the 155-pound champion’s performance would serve as an indicator of how well Dagestani wrestling would do, it is unlikely to happen.
Islam Makhachev trained in freestyle wrestling early but committed to MMA instead
Despite never competing in formal wrestling, Islam Makhachev’s beginnings were in freestyle wrestling. However, he later transitioned to Combat Sambo and eventually MMA, where his wrestling skills have served him well, even against other high-level wrestlers and grapplers.
Perhaps the finest example of Makhachev’s wrestling was in his 2019 clash with Arman Tsarukyan, who also started out in freestyle wrestling. The pair competed in a closely contested MMA bout, which featured various momentum shifts and slick takedowns and scrambles from Makhachev.
Given the competitive nature of their bout, calls for a rematch have ramped up in the wake of Tsarukyan’s recent four-fight win streak.
