Legendary coach Javier Mendez believes Movsar Evloev’s UFC title hopes are being stifled by lack of name value – but fans have one other explanation.
The American Kickboxing Academy head coach isn’t any stranger to world title fights within the UFC, in addition to the means of waiting for one when a fighter is undefeated and seemingly undeniable. For years Khabib Nurmagomedov was back of the queue despite constant wins, very similar to Evloev now.
Nevertheless, fans imagine that it’s more to do with Evloev’s regular pullouts and general lack of activity, fighting just thrice within the last 4 years. It’s looking like he’ll close out 2025 without having fought in any respect after skipping a July showdown with Aaron Pico with injury.
- Who’s Movsar Evloev? Meet the highest Featherweight fighter chasing UFC title glory
Javier Mendez believes Movsar Evloev is being held back by UFC politics
Back within the day, Javier Mendez had to observe on as contender after contender got their lightweight title shot ahead of his charge Khabib Nurmagomedov. Ultimately, he managed to get his fight and the Russian never lost his belt before retiring.
It was the same story for Islam Makhachev, who again never lost the title before vacating this summer. Mendez believes that lesser fighters are getting possibilities on the belt because they’re more famous and greater draws.
“The featherweight Movsar Evloev, take a look at him,” he told the Know Time podcast. “They’re passing him up – why? Because not that many persons are interested to see him, regardless that he deserves it. He’s primary in my view.
“But is he getting it? How come Sean O’Malley got title shots after lacklustre performance? Now, you recognize what can be really a shock can be if he got one other title shot after this last performance! I’d think that he’s going back to the drawing boards.
“Because again, the eyeballs aren’t occurring him. After that last performance persons are going to be like ‘ehh, we’re not watching him’. Now he’s lost two in a row, each to Merab, the last one was not exciting in any respect, he got demolished.
“So his marketability shouldn’t be there anymore and so they’re going to should determine another person. Again, it comes all the way down to different variables. Like who’s going to be hot at that individual time or who is mostly in favor?”
Fans disagree with Javier Mendez’s tackle Movsar Evloev
Despite Mendez generally having a superb gauge on these kinds of topics, there may be one issue with Evloev which fans see as more pressing. They imagine his frequent pullouts from fights is a clearer reason.
“Remind me again the last time he fought?” One X user asked in response to Mendez. “The guy pulls out of fights prefer it’s going out of fashion.” One other added: “Why are we ignoring that Movsar may be very inactive and pulled out of his last fight in a first-rate slot on a ppv? Those just don’t matter? Cmon now.”
“Why reward inactivity?” One other fan asked in response. “We want champions like Volk & Merab who won’t duck opposition.”