“He is treated the same as Khabib” - Ex-UFC veteran delivers honest reality check on potential Islam Makhachev vs. Ilia Topuria matchup 

Many in the MMA community have been discussing the potential fight between Islam Makhachev and Ilia Topuria. Former UFC fighter Dan Hardy also chimed in on the issue during his appearance on Submission Radio.

Hardy started by showering praise on Makhachev and shared how the Dagestani was treated in his gym by his peers. 'The Outlaw' then shared that Makhachev might not be able to make the 155-pound limit for a long time and thus, there is a chance the matchup against Topuria might not become a reality.

"For me, Islam right now is head and shoulders above anybody else... Everybody in the camp talks so highly of Islam... He's treated the same as when Khabib was when he was still active... I feel like he's right at that very limit where if he gains a couple of pounds, he's not gonna be able to make 155 [pound weight limit] anymore. I just wonder how much longer he's got in this division. I would feel that Topuria is gonna be able to make featherweight longer than Makhachev's gonna be able to make lightweight. So, I don't know how long this rivalry is gonna last, if that makes sense."

Check out Dan Hardy's comments below (11:30):

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Dominick Cruz speaks about Ilia Topuria's chances against Islam Makhachev

Former UFC bantamweight king Dominick Cruz believes that Ilia Topuria might be able to give a tough challenge to Islam Makhachev inside the octagon. The 39-year-old recently did an interview with Helen Yee where he spoke about the potential clash and gave his opinion on it.

Cruz claimed 'El Matador' possessed the tools to make the fight competitive and possibly emerge victorious against Makhachev.

"[Topuria] has the tools. It's keep it on the feet, dictate the range and keep Makhachev on his heels. If you keep a wrestler on his heels, it's hard for them to time the shot... So, if you keep Makhachev moving back with good striking defense and he's a ble to stuff a couple of the takedowns, I think he can get the momentum going in his favor and give himself a really good chance."

Check out Dominick Cruz's comments below (9:24):