Josh Thomson explains why Islam Makhachev is ‘so much stronger’ than Khabib

Khabib Nurmagomedov helps teammate Islam Makhachev prepare for Thiago Moises in July.Number four-ranked Islam Makhachev has been pretty much a lifelong training partner of retired undefeated former UFC champion Khabib Nurmagomedov. Both men employ the same wrestling and grappling-based approach which has earned them respective successes.

But if the two were matched up against each other at least based on strength, Makhachev apparently has the edge. That’s according to their AKA teammate, UFC and Bellator veteran Josh Thomson.

As he explains to Weighing In podcast co-host “Big” John McCarthy in a recent episode:

“Islam, though, is someone that can shoot from five feet away, snatch a single, and…