Islam Makhachev hilariously dismisses persuading "extra competition" Khabib Nurmagomedov to return to MMA

Islam Makhachev has ruled the lightweight division for two years, having claimed the title with a second-round submission victory over Charles Oliveira at UFC 280 in October 2022. His title reign comes after his close friend and training partner Khabib Nurmagomedov held the belt for over two years.

The lightweight champion recently shot down chatter that he has been attempting to persuade 'The Eagle' to come out of retirement, noting that he does not need extra competition in his weight class. Speaking to Russian media outlet Match TV, Makhachev was asked if there was any truth to the rumors.

Makhachev responded:

"No! Why do I need this? There’s no need for extra competition." [h/t Match TV]

Nurmagomedov retired from mixed martial arts in 2020 after defeating Justin Gaethje via second-round submission at UFC 254 to defend his lightweight title for the third time. He cited the death of his father, Abdulmanap Nurmagomedov, as the reason for his retirement. 'The Eagle' won all 13 of his fights in the promotion and got inducted into the UFC Hall of Fame in 2022 after ending his mixed martial arts career with a 29-0 record.

Makhachev matched his long-time training partner's lightweight division record - which is also shared with B.J. Penn, Frankie Edgar, and Benson Henderson - with his third title defense in June by defeating Dustin Poirier via fifth-round submission at UFC 302. He is 26-1 in his mixed martial arts career and riding a 14-fight win streak.

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Islam Makhachev shares timeline for his return

While Islam Makhachev hopes to fight once more in 2024, he has remained sidelined with a hand injury since his UFC 302 clash with Dustin Poirier. The lightweight champion recently provided a timeline for his return to the octagon, sharing that he is looking to compete in January.

Championship Rounds shared his comments from a recent interview with Russian media outlet Match TV:

"🚨 Islam Makhachev reveals that his hand has healed and says he would like to return in January 👀 “I think January is just right. My hand practically doesn’t bother me, I can already start training.” [via. Match TV] #UFC #MMA"

Check out Championship Rounds' tweet on Islam Makhachev's return below:

Makhachev appears likely to face the No. 1-ranked lightweight, Arman Tsarukyan in his next bout, looking to break the lightweight record with his fourth title defense. He previously defeated Tsarukyan via unanimous decision at UFC Fight Night 149. 'Ahalkalakets' was just 22 years old at the time, making his promotional debut on short notice.