Islam Makhachev may be one of the most dominant forces in MMA today, but even kings have blind spots. Recently, fight fans got a rare glimpse behind the curtain of the former UFC lightweight champion’s training sessions, one that left even Daniel Cormier speechless.
The video, shared by Red Corner MMA on Instagram, opens with a wrestling exchange. Makhachev, calm and calculated, defends a single-leg takedown and smoothly transitions into a D’Arce choke. As his sparring partner tries to survive the onslaught, the Dagestani juggernaut asks, “Why are you tapping? Huh?”.
The choke was locked in tight; in fact, his sparring partner even looked like he had gone limp as the cameraman exclaimed, “I think he fell asleep, wake him up!” For a moment, it seemed like another victim succumbed to the champ’s signature move. But then, surprise! The training partner pops back up, smiling. He was faking it. Makhachev, caught off guard, bursts into laughter and states, “Are you happy, little bro?”
It was a moment of levity. But it also revealed something deeper, someone had finally found a way to escape Makhachev’s D’Arce. Well, sort of. This isn’t just any submission. Makhachev’s D’Arce choke has become one of the most feared weapons in his arsenal. He used it to finish Dustin Poirier and Renato Moicano in back-to-back title defenses.
Experts like ADCC champ, Kade Ruotolo have broken down the Dagestani powerhouse’s version of the move in an interview with Bloody Elbow where he shared, “I think it’s one of the best chokes out there, it’s one of the most underutilized chokes for sure so to see Islam kind of putting it back out there on the MMA side of things is great to see.”
But no one had seen anyone, even in training, slip out of it. Until now. And the fans? They were joined by Daniel Cormier we take a look at what the MMA sphere had to say about the only way to escape Islam Makhachev’s now-trademark submission!
Islam Makhachev’s sparring footage leaves Daniel Cormier and fans in shock as someone finally escapes his D’arce choke
Cormier, the former ‘champ-champ’ wrote, “This leg is hard to take down” With a nod to Makhachev’s famous “this leg is undefeated” quote from their past interview, the callback left the fans rolling in their seats.
One fan bestowed a new nickname upon the former champion as they wrote, “Islam [d’arce Master] makhachev” With a 50% submission rate in his UFC career, Islam Makhachev has clearly taken the move to the next level by utilizing it against the highest level of competition. Going back to Kade Ruotolo’s interview, he revealed that, “It’s one of our favorites and the way he uses it, he grabs the arm and goes shallow instead of going all the way to the bicep which I think is also cool. The gloves have probably something to do with that.”
Another fan pointed to his sparring partner’s unique method to avoid getting tapped out by claiming, “Gotta play dead” That’s how tight and feared Makhahcev’s D’Arce has become. You don’t fight it. You act your way out of it and hope he lets go!
One fan added, “Pound for pound number one.” While he may have vacated the lightweight belt before UFC 317, and Ilia Topuria might’ve leapfrogged him in the P4P rankings, one thing’s unchanged: when it comes to submissions, Makhachev remains the gold standard. What do you think?
Some reactions took a more poetic turn as one fan wrote, “Islam is easily one of the most likeable dudes on the roster. If capybaras were also somehow the jaguar, Islam would be it. You’re either chillin with him or you’re food and that’s that.” It perfectly captured his vibe, calm in the gym, vicious in the cage. Whether he’s wearing gold or not, that aura hasn’t faded. And with a clash against Jack Della Maddalena for the welterweight title brewing on the horizon, it remains to be seen whether the same dominance will transition to a higher weight class.
Ultimately, whether it’s championship gold or just another day on the mats, one thing is clear: Islam Makhachev’s D’Arce choke isn’t just a submission, it’s a statement. And while fans may joke about “playing dead” to escape it, his future opponents may not be so lucky!
The post Daniel Cormier & Fans Stunned as Islam Makhachev’s Kryptonite Exposed by Sparring Partner appeared first on EssentiallySports.
