Ilia Topuria fires back at Khabib Nurmagomedov's recent comments on potential Islam Makhachev fight: "Only reason he doesn’t want Islam to fight me"

Ilia Topuria (center) slams Khabib Nurmagomedov (left) for denying him a chance to fight Islam Makhachev (right). [Images courtesy: @khabib_nurmagomedov and @ufceurope on Instagram]

Ilia Topuria has responded to Khabib Nurmagomedov's disapproval of his potential matchup with Islam Makhachev. Topuria asserted that Nurmagomedov is concerned about Makhachev losing his lightweight strap to him.

Topuria and Makhachev have been at odds for a long time, with the former vocal in his ability and intention to dethrone the Dagestani fighter on multiple occasions. Earlier this year, 'La Leyenda' vacated his featherweight title to pursue his dream of becoming a double champion.

However, in a recent interview with Adam Zubayraev, Nurmagomedov dismissed a potential fight between Makhachev and Topuria, citing that the latter must face a top lightweight contender before earning a title shot.

''I don't know what kind of agreements [Ilia] Topuria and the UFC had, but from Islam's [Makhachev's] side, he already gave two title shots to 145-pound champions. Both times Islam won. Now a third time... Okay, let's imagine Topuria moves up and gets a title shot right away. Islam beats him. Then Topuria fights again. He loses again. So basically he was a nobody at 155. Islam beat a nobody at 155. Because of that, in terms of legacy, for Islam, for his resume, I understand Islam's risks."

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Check out Khabib Nurmagomedov's comments below:

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Nurmagomedov further stated that Arman Tsarukyan is a more deserved matchup for Makhachev. Notably, the two were set for a rematch at UFC 311, but Tsarukyan pulled out after suffering a back injury during his weight cut.

Nurmagomedov's remarks didn't sit well with Topuria, who took to X and reiterated his ability to defeat Makhachev, writing:

''Khabib knows I’m the one to take the belt from Islam. Only reason he doesn’t want Islam to fight me''

Check out Ilia Topuria's response below:

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Paddy Pimblett is open to welcoming ''midget'' Ilia Topuria to the UFC lightweight division

Paddy Pimblett, who is coming off a win over Michael Chandler at UFC 314, is ready to welcome Ilia Topuria to the lightweight division. During the post-fight press conference, Pimblett gave a scathing response when asked about Topuria, saying:

''I forgot all about him or I would’ve mentioned him in the cage, you know what I mean? I don’t call him ‘Hand Sanitizer Boy’ any more... But like I said, I literally forgot all about him. That’s how irrelevant he is. I’m ranked higher than he is at lightweight, so I’d love to welcome him to 155...What I just did to Chandler is half the blue print of beating him. He’s even more of a midget than Chandler is.''

Check out Paddy Pimblett's comments below (7:12):

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Swagat is a dynamic MMA writer with a total experience of a little less than a year, which includes time in retail and sports journalism. He holds an MBA degree.

Swagat fell in love with the sport after watching the iconic grudge match between Jon Jones and Daniel Cormier at UFC 182 in early 2015. Nate Diaz holds a special place in his heart for the Stockton native’s entertaining fan-friendly style and ability to deliver exciting fights regardless of the opponent.

In terms of rule changes in MMA, Swagat advocates for making scores public after each round, adding transparency to judging decisions.

Swagat prioritizes accuracy and relevance while writing and conducts thorough research to ensure the content is fresh and reliable.

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Edited by C. Naik