Though retired from fighting, UFC Hall of Famer Khabib Nurmagomedov maintains an ironclad grip on the UFC landscape. With a rigorous training regimen and a code of brotherly conduct, nothing moves without his approval. Since the passing of his father, Abdulmanap Nurmagomedov, ‘The Eagle’ has stepped into the role of patriarch, calling the shots on who fights, when they fight, and whether a matchup is even worth entertaining. The former champ’s commanding influence has earned him the nickname ‘remote controller’ among fans and critics alike.
But Khabib remains unfazed by the tag. And his influence was front and center during the recent buzz around a potential Islam Makhachev vs. Ilia Topuria clash—a matchup he and lightweight king swiftly shot down. The UFC Hall of Famer firmly dismissed the idea, stating, “Islam (Makhachev) has already given chances. People criticize, saying, ‘Oh, he fought Volkanovski twice,’ but the UFC pushed that fight. The first one was great, but why does Islam need to give a third chance to the 145-pound champion? Why?”
Adding to the intrigue, longtime Team Khabib ally and former two-division champ Henry Cejudo was reportedly involved behind the scenes. Rumors suggest Cejudo advised against the Ilia Topuria fight as well, adding even more fuel to the growing speculation. Things came to a head this week when Khabib openly dismissed the idea of Islam fighting ‘La Leyenda’ and instead backed Arman Tsarukyan as the rightful challenger. In an interview with Adam Zubayraev, he said, “Imagine Topuria moves up and Islam beats him. Then Topuria fights again, he loses again. So basically, he was a nobody at 155lbs.”
That decision didn’t sit well with Ilia Topuria, who had vacated his featherweight title on the condition that he’d get an immediate crack at lightweight gold. Fuming, Topuria fired back online: “Khabib knows I’m the one who can take the belt from Islam. That’s why he doesn’t want the fight.” A bold accusation—and a not-so-subtle shot aimed at both ‘The Eagle’ and Makhachev.
In classic Khabib fashion, the UFC legend clapped back without naming names. He posted an Instagram Story featuring a picture of a bull—a direct nod to Ilia Topuria’s former nickname, ‘El Matador.’ The Russian also captioned the picture, which loosely translates to: “Chill, guys.” or “guys stop it.”
It’s been over two months since Dana White confirmed ‘Le Leyenda’s move to lightweight. After stunning the world by knocking out Alexander Volkanovski and then breaking Max Holloway’s granite chin in his first title defense, Topuria declared his featherweight run finished. At one point, a showdown with Makhachev at UFC 317 during International Fight Week in June seemed almost certain. But now? The picture’s a lot murkier.
Nurmagomedov recently endorsed Arman Tsarukyan as Islam’s next opponent, dismissing the Topuria superfight entirely. That move hasn’t gone unnoticed, and the tension between both camps is heating up fast. Let’s take a closer look at where things stand!
Why is Khabib Nurmagomedov against Ilia Topuria vs. Islam Makhachev?
UFC lightweight champion Islam Makhachev has firmly established himself as one of the most dominant and undefeated forces in the promotion. With an impressive 15-fight win streak, he has already defended his title four times since claiming the vacant belt in 2022. Now, Makhachev is setting his sights on an ambitious new goal—one that even his mentor Khabib Nurmagomedov never achieved: becoming a two-division champion. For Makhachev, moving up to the welterweight division seems like the natural next step.
With a stacked lightweight division and little more to prove, a jump in weight could be the ideal way to cap off his already stellar career. This is why Khabib Nurmagomedov has emphasized that Islam should focus on facing the toughest contenders within the 155-pound division, not fighters moving up from featherweight. Having already defeated Alexander Volkanovski twice, Makhachev has nothing left to prove against fighters from 145.
Speaking with Adam Zubayraev, Khabib clarified his thoughts: “You see, all the guys who came from 145—even Holloway, whom he beat—when they moved up to 155, they did nothing. We need to be smart—Islam doesn’t have much time left either. Islam is going to be 34 soon. So he doesn’t want to fight Topuria, Volkanovski, or someone stepping in on short notice like Moicano. He wants big-name fighters who truly deserve it. Fighters who’ve been in the lightweight division for years. Nothing personal. But if you’re moving up in weight—earn it.”
What do you think of Khabib Nurmagomedov’s stance? Do you believe ‘The Eagle’ is behind the delay of a potential Islam Makhachev vs. Ilia Topuria matchup? Share your thoughts below.
The post Khabib Nurmagomedov Aims Subtle Jibe After Ending Ilia Topuria vs. Islam Makhachev Fight Rumors appeared first on EssentiallySports.