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Khabib Nurmagomedov is credited with paving the way for a generation of successful Dagestani fighters, including current UFC lightweight champion Islam Makhachev. However, Makhachev has often found himself compared to Nurmagomedov throughout his career.
This debate about surpassing legacies continued even after Makhachev captured the lightweight title, fulfilling Nurmagomedov's prediction. Despite the comparisons, Makhachev insists neither he nor Nurmagomedov entertain such thoughts. Their focus, he says, has always been on improvement as fighters.
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In a recent interview with 'TMZ Sports,' Makhachev was asked about comments by their manager, Ali Abdelaziz, suggesting Nurmagomedov desires Makhachev to surpass his achievements. Makhachev responded by stating their primary goal is to support each other's success:
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“We never talk about this. We do not have in our mind this who is going to be better, who is going to be strong. Just help each other to be champions that is it. We don’t have this option to be like more than someone UFC fight, more than defend the belt, we don’t talk about this never. The relationship that we have, it’s not for this. Not for the fight, not for the money all this stuff.”
Check out Islam Makahchev's comment below (3:53):
How does Islam Makhachev's record compare with Khabib Nurmagomedov?
Khabib Nurmagomedov left an undeniable mark on MMA with his undefeated record (29-0). He dominated the UFC lightweight division, defeating stars like Conor McGregor, Justin Gaethje, and Dustin Poirier.
‘The Eagle’s prodigy, Islam Makhachev, on the other hand, is currently the lightweight champion. While his record isn't blemish-free (25-1), he has shown remarkable improvement since his lone loss in 2015 against Adriano Martins. Makhachev boasts impressive wins over former champions Charles Oliveira and Alexander Volkanovski (twice).
He'll look to continue his reign against Dustin Poirier as he makes his third title defense at UFC 302 in June.
