Khabib Nurmagomedov and Islam Makhachev are united in their stance regarding the next contender for the lightweight championship.
Earlier this year, Ilia Topuria, the featherweight champion, relinquished his 145-pound title to pursue the lightweight belt at 155 pounds. This sparked immediate fan discussions about a possible superfight between Makhachev and Topuria. However, the lightweight champion has expressed reservations about granting a title shot to another champion moving up from 145 pounds, especially after already defending against Alexander Volkanovski twice. Despite growing public interest in a Makhachev-Topuria fight, Makhachev and his team remain firm in their opinion.
“In my opinion, Arman Tsarukyan would be a more competitive, if not more dangerous, opponent for Islam,” Khabib Nurmagomedov stated in a recent interview with Adam Zubayraev. “I believe Arman is a more formidable fighter than Topuria. Topuria is skilled at 145 pounds, but we haven`t seen him compete at 155 pounds. I think Arman would offer a greater challenge to Islam.
“I`m unsure of any agreements between Topuria and the UFC, but from Islam`s perspective, he has already granted two title opportunities to champions from the 145-pound division, both of which Islam won. A third time seems excessive. Imagine Topuria moves up, gets an immediate title shot, Islam defeats him, and then Topuria continues to lose at 155 pounds. He would essentially become irrelevant at lightweight. Islam defeating someone with no established record at 155 pounds does little to enhance his legacy or resume. This is why Islam emphasizes that Topuria should first prove himself as a legitimate contender in the lightweight division.”
Makhachev was originally scheduled to defend his title against Tsarukyan at UFC 311 in January. However, Tsarukyan withdrew on the day of the weigh-ins, leading to Renato Moicano stepping in as a replacement with only 24 hours` notice. Makhachev won that fight by first-round submission, setting a new record for consecutive lightweight title defenses in UFC history. His previous title defenses include two victories against Alexander Volkanovski, then-featherweight champion, with the first fight taking place in Volkanovski`s home country of Australia. Therefore, it’s understandable why Makhachev is less enthusiastic about facing another featherweight champion moving up.
“Islam is willing to fight anyone,” Nurmagomedov clarified. “Islam himself has said he will face any opponent. However, repeatedly giving Islam fights against 145-pound champions moving up to 155 pounds – after doing it twice already – is excessive. Islam also deserves to have his preferences considered. He is the reigning champion and has already fought a 145-pound champion, even traveling to Australia to fight him in his own territory. That`s why our team believes Topuria is a worthy fighter and champion who has defeated strong opponents at featherweight, including Max Holloway. But Holloway’s attempts to move up to 155 pounds have not been successful.
“Islam also has a limited timeframe in his career. He will be 34 soon. Therefore, Islam wants to face established, deserving contenders at 155 pounds, not fighters like Topuria or short-notice replacements like Renato Moicano. There is no personal animosity towards Topuria, but if a fighter is moving up in weight, they should earn their title shot. That is essentially our position.”
Interestingly, Topuria is not the only champion considering moving up a weight class. Makhachev, currently ranked as the top pound-for-pound fighter, has also expressed interest in pursuing a second title, even suggesting a move to middleweight if necessary. However, with Belal Muhammad scheduled to defend his welterweight title against Jack Della Maddalena at UFC 315 next month, Makhachev may not need to take such drastic steps.
“Islam is interested in moving up to 170 pounds, but a fight there is complicated because Belal Muhammad is the champion, and he is a close friend. We don’t prioritize titles over personal relationships. That’s not how we operate.
“If Maddalena were to become champion, Islam would have already fought him. However, I believe the UFC is waiting for the outcome of the fight between Belal and Maddalena in May. Personally, I hope Belal wins. But if Maddalena wins, I think the UFC might offer Islam a fight with Maddalena at 170 pounds.”
