(Photo: Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC)

Makhachev’s slam trainer Javier Mendez previews welterweight bout with Jack Della Maddalena, reveals Daniel Cormier should have quit like Tom Aspinall and says he would be open to training Jake Paul ahead of his MMA debut.

I’m talking to CanadaCasinoMéndez said:

• Daniel Cormier should have left after Stipe took a look at the team, just like Tom Aspinall did
• Both Cyril Gane and Aspinall should be given a chance to redeem themselves
• Khabib and I would like to train Jake Paul and make him successful in MMA
• Tom Aspinall isn’t a UFC headliner – he should consider boxing
• Tom Aspinall should build his boxing career to 12-0 and then face Anthony JoshuAND
• Islam Makhachev is unbeatable in the welterweight division
• JDM is a formidable opponent, but Makhachev is bigger, stronger and more confident
• JDM is a much better striker than Ilia Topuria – a potential p4p fight in the White House is not a springboard for Makachev

Javier Mendez from Team Khabib: Daniel Cormier should have left like a ‘warrior’ Tom Aspinall, Jack Della Maddalena a ‘better striker’ than Ilia Topuria, Islam Makhachev looks ‘unbeatable’

Daniel Cormier should have left after Stipe took a look at the team, just like Tom Aspinall did

What Ciryl Gane did was accidental. People miss everything. Why would he try to fight half-blindly to please the fans? What will this do for his family? What will this do for his legacy? No, he absolutely, 100% made the right decision by telling the truth: “I can’t see.” And when he can’t see, you can’t, as a referee or a doctor, continue to skip the fight. The guy told him he couldn’t see. From what I hear, and I’m not saying I know, from what I hear, he still has vision problems.

When Daniel Cormier was poked in his third fight against Stipe Miocic, Daniel couldn’t see. When the doctor approached Daniel and asked, “Can you see?” He said yes. He couldn’t see, and then he couldn’t see for several days because the stinging was so powerful. So I know first hand. It’s DC, it’s got a dog in it. When he gets into a fight, he’s that dog, that guy. He won’t give up for anything. But that’s not the smartest thing. But look what happened to Daniel. Yes, he kept fighting, but as far as I could see, he was half a fighter. That’s why it wasn’t good for him to do that. I would prefer Daniel to do what Tom did to ensure a level playing field. Who wants to fight with such an injury? How is this fair? How is this fair to people who have their eyes accidentally or intentionally poked and then are no longer the same and are now cowards because they backed down? I’m talking nonsense. Tom Aspinall is a true warrior. I don’t see anything decreasing. It was the blink of an eye. It’s only one round. This wasn’t the end. There is no way I would say he will be defeated. He worked. Tom could end the fight at any time. The next round could totally go Tom’s way.

Both Cyril Gane and Aspinall should be given a chance to redeem themselves

To say that Gane should be disqualified or disqualified is extreme. He should be able to fight next week if he’s physically ready. It’s bad enough that he was given an opportunity that could have gone his way and been taken away from him. That’s punishment enough. Let the boy get another chance, let him fulfill his dream of winning this title. And let Tom get redemption for the people who think he’s giving up, because he’s not.

Khabib and I would like to train Jake Paul and make him successful in MMA

If the team votes for him, he will be able to train with them. However, it hasn’t happened yet, so I can’t say definitively yes or no. He is a solemn boxer and athlete who should be taken seriously. I believe that if he decides to take it seriously, he can succeed. I’ve told everyone from the beginning that he’s not like his brother Logan Paul who focuses on the WWE style. Jake Paul takes boxing very seriously and gets the most out of it.

Jake Paul is good at MMA because he creates more eyeballs. He would take it seriously; he wouldn’t do any of the “nonsense” that other fighters do. He would be solemn and committed. However, I seriously doubt he’ll want to fight in MMA because, realistically, boxing makes more money for him. So I don’t think he would do it. To get attention he would need to find a fighter who will fight in MMA, maybe Dillon Danis would be a good market for him. On the ground, of course, Dillon will tear it up. But on the stand, Jake tears him apart.

Tom Aspinall isn’t a UFC headliner – he should consider boxing

I don’t think Tom isn’t their man. I simply believe that boxing allows its stars to earn much more than UFC stars. So if they talk about boxing next, it will just be money. There is simply more money in boxing, and if you are a massive name, you can make a lot of money in boxing. Tom has a massive name and would make a lot of money from boxing. I think that’s what his father is implying; he knows how good his son is at boxing. I asked, “What do you want, Tom?” If he says, “I want to box,” I advise him to keep doing it. If he says, “I just want to be in the UFC,” I’ll tell him to go for it. It’s about what the warrior wants. If you ask me what we would make more money from, of course I will answer boxing.

Tom Aspinall should build his boxing career to 12-0 and then face Anthony Joshua

NO. I enjoy watching boxers climb the ranks and develop their careers. If he has built his career to 12-0, this is the fight [with Anthony Joshua] it would be fascinating, but without knowing what he could do in boxing, as a fan I wouldn’t be that interested.

Islam Makhachev is unbeatable in the welterweight division

Based on what I see in the gym, I believe Islam is unbeatable these days. I don’t see a hole in his game yesterday [during sparring] I was so amazed by it that yes, it is insurmountable, it covers every corner.

It is definitely stronger and more compact. Hits harder. Yesterday he went through three sparring partners. I was shocked. It was impossible to go more than two rounds, he said: “I’ve had enough, I’ve had enough!” so at the very end we had to hire someone else. Islam is a beast now and it must be a beast to defeat this very, very tough opponent.

Islam needs very little guidance. He’s the complete package when it comes to the mental aspect, game planning and taking care of his body, he’s perfect. He listens to all his coaches and is the prototype of the best player. He’s almost like Cain Velasquez, with one exception: Islam knows when his body is falling apart, and he’ll tell you. Cain refused to say anything until he broke down.

JDM is a formidable opponent, but Makhachev is bigger, stronger and more confident

This guy is very powerful in all areas and hasn’t lost in a long time. It’s a great run and he’s getting stronger. And then he gained the mental advantage of knowing he felt like the bigger guy. But here’s the question I want to answer myself. Let’s wait until he weighs himself and then we’ll see who’s bigger. Maybe we’re not too far from it. But I know that Islam is not the Islam of senior, it is bigger now, stronger, more confident and now it hits much harder.

JDM is a much better striker than Ilia Topuria – a potential p4p fight in the White House is not a springboard for Makachev

I never called Topuria the best striker, only the best boxer, and I stand by that. The guy has amazing boxing for MMA. I’m not saying he could go out there right now and win a world boxing title; it’s a completely different animal. But his boxing is really good.

If you look at someone like Jack Maddalena, who we’re fighting, he’s not a boxer like Topuria, but he’s a better striker because he can do everything, which means he can kick; he can kneel, he can do everything really well. He’s not as polished as a boxer. Technique, technical aspect, he has really powerful boxing skills.

The White House conversations are not distracting at all. Islam focuses on the task at hand. If he wants to be on the White House card, and I’d love for him to be, he’ll have to bypass Jack. If he can’t beat Jack, I seriously doubt there will be a White House card [for us]. He will have to defeat Jack.