Khabib Nurmagomedov and Islam Makhachev are stuck on who is worthy of the next lightweight title shot.
Earlier this year, featherweight champion Ilia Topria vacated the title and declared her intention to move up to 155 pounds to pursue a lightweight belt. Fans soon began speculating about the superfight between Makhachev and Topulia, but the lightweight champion remains cool about the idea of giving another 145-pound champion a title shot, and has already done so twice for Alexander Volkanovsky. And despite increased support for the fight, Makhachev and his team have not changed the song.
“My personal opinion – not necessarily (more) dangerous. Let’s say it’s more competitive – I think it’s (Arman) Tsarkian,” Khabib Nurmagomedov told Adam Zubayraev. “I think Ahman is a more serious fighter than Topuria. Topria is a good fighter at 145, but I’ve never seen him at 155. I think Ahman is more competitive for Islam than Topria.
“I don’t know what contracts Topuria and the UFC were on, but from the Islam side he has already given 145 champions two title shots. Islam has won three times. As for the conditions of Islam legacy, his resume, I would like to make him fight him too, and make him a real contender.”
Mahachev was to defend his title against the Emperor in the main event of UFC 311 in January, but the Emperor retreated from the day of measurement and Renato Moicano stepped into a 24-hour notice. Makhachev won in a first round submission, breaking the lightest title defense record in UFC history. Two of these defenses came against then-featherweight champion Alexander Volkanovsky, including the first to be held in Volkanovsky’s Australian home country, so it’s understandable that Makhachev hasn’t tried it again.
“Everyone in Islam will fight,” Nurmagomedov said. “Islam itself said, ‘What kind of fighter jets will I fight?’ However, Islam is giving him 145 champions, moving to 155 people. Belt defeats some very serious guys.
“Islam doesn’t have much time either. If you think about it, Islam will soon be 34. So Islam doesn’t want to intervene with a short notice like Topuria, Volkanovsky, or (Renato) Moicano. Islam really wants to fight big names that deserve it.
It’s not just the champions trying to move up when it comes to value. As the sport’s highest pound fighter, Makachev repeatedly informed him that he wanted to pursue the second title. However, Makhachev may not need to resort to such a dramatic measure as Belal Muhammad is planning to defend his welterweight title against Jack Della Maddalena at UFC 315 next month.
“Islam wants to move to 170, but we can’t fight there because the Berals are there,” Nurmagomedov said. “He’s our close friends, so we can’t put relationships on the title. That’s not the way we do things.
“If Madalena was the champion, Islam would have already fought him. But as I understand it, the UFC is waiting for the May event where Beral and Madrena fight. Personally, I sincerely hope that we will beat Beral.