“If you want your son to have high-level wrestling, send him 2-3 years in Dagestan and forget. Six months, one time, you can call him.” Islam Makhachev gave netizens an unforgettable meme-worthy moment when he asked Daniel Cormier to send his son to Dagestan during his appearance on DC Check-in prior to UFC 302. It’s an interesting proposition, one that is too tempting for anyone looking to stamp a career in mixed martial arts. But we have to ask—did anyone actually take the soon-to-be former lightweight champion on his offer?

Not too long ago, Gonzalo Martin, a teenager from Spain, reportedly became the first person to heed Makhachev’s invite. The soon-to-be former lightweight champion even shared footage of Martin saying, “First guy to come to Dagestan… 2-3 years send him to Dagestan.” But soon, it was revealed that the Spaniard had also trained with Ilia Topuria. While it probably didn’t matter to Makhachev, netizens turned it into yet another hilarious moment and branded Martin a “spy.” But now, the Dagestani champion revealed another man who took up his offer—not just a fan, but someone with real stakes in the game. 

Taking to his Instagram Story, Makhachev shared a video where he announced, “Hey guys. This is the first guy, like real first guy who come for training for how many [years]?” The focus then shifted to the undefeated PFL contender with 9 wins and no losses, Brahyan Zurcher. The Mexican fighter claimed that he was in Dagestan for 5 weeks. But Makhachev cut him short and claimed, “No. No 5. Minimum 2-3 years.” Zurcher had no choice but to agree. So, what is the 29-year-old PFL star doing in Dagestan?  

We know he’s training—that’s obvious. But for what? Is there a cannon event happening in his life? He explained, “I came here because September 13, I’m having my UFC debut. I came to train with the best. Get help from Islam. I will win my first fight, Inshallah.” Debuting at UFC Noche is nothing short of an achievement for a Mexican fighter. And who is Zurcher fighting in his debut? We’ll have to wait for the official announcements to know that. 

While Makhachev’s invitation to train with him in Dagestan for 2-3 years became a topic that’s in the conversation quite often, there was a problem with it. And Gable Steveson was the one who exposed it. 

Olympian points out one problem with Islam Makhachev’s words

Gable Steveson is set to battle Craig Jones at the CJ Invitational in August 2025. But before that, he had a brief interaction with the Olympic medalist, Abdulrashid Sadulaev, who invited Steveson to Dagestan for training. During an appearance at Dirty Boxing 2, the WWE star told the media that he would certainly accept Sadulaev’s invitation. However, there was a problem. 

Steveson said, “There’s a guy named Abdulrashid Sadulaev. He’s a 97-kilogram two-time Olympic champion. He reached out to me. He reached out about me to come on to Dagestan and help him train for this year’s world championship. So maybe I’ll be in Dagestan. They’re gonna send me to Dagestan for two-three weeks and forget. But you can’t send somebody Dagestani for two to three weeks, who already knows how to wrestle.”

Of course, 2 to 3 weeks of training won’t do much for a career wrestler or someone preparing for their UFC debut. What Makhachev was talking about is opening 2-3 years, a timeline that could really elevate a fighter’s game.

Nevertheless, training for a couple of years under Khabib Nurmagomedov’s guidance, with Islam Makhachev, Tagir Ulanbekov, and many others in the team—a young fighter can rise to become a championship candidate. But what do you think of the claims? Can a young man who trained in Dagestan earn a championship belt after 2-3 years in the mountains?