Jan 18, 2025; Inglewood, California, USA; Khabib Nurmagomedov before a bout between Merab Dvalishvili (not pictured) fights Umar Nurmagomedov (not pictured) during UFC 311 at Intuit Dome. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images

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Khabib Nurmagomedov Backs Away From Ilia Topuria vs. Islam Makhachev, Topuria Responds!

Ilia Topuria responds to Khabib Nurmagomedov's statement about him not bringing anything to the legacy of Islam Makhachev!

UFC lightweight division is hot right now! Fighters call each other out, champions defend their legacy, and coaches protect their fighters. This dynamic has played out countless times in the octagon and on social media. Recently, this familiar dance continued with Khabib Nurmagomedov stepping in to shield his protege Islam Makhachev from what he considers an unworthy challenger.

Ilia Topuria has been making waves in the UFC featherweight division. The undefeated fighter recently vacated his 145-pound title with dreams of becoming a double champion. His eyes are set on Islam Makhachev’s lightweight belt. But the path to that championship bout isn’t straightforward. With Makhachev’s coach and mentor Khabib Nurmagomedov openly dismissing the matchup, tensions have escalated. ‘The Eagle’ has his reasons, and Topuria has his responses!

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Khabib Nurmagomedov Dismisses Potential Matchup

In a recent interview with Adam Zubayraev, Nurmagomedov didn’t mince words about Topuria’s title aspirations. He pointed out that Makhachev has already given title shots to featherweight champion twice and won both times. Nurmagomedov questioned what a third such matchup would accomplish for his fighter’s legacy. He emphasized that if Topuria moves up and loses, he would be “a nobody at 155” – making the fight pointless for Makhachev’s resume.

”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.”

Khabib says Arman Tsarukyan is a tougher fight for Islam Makhachev than Ilia Topuria

He also explains why Islam doesn't want to fight Ilia Topuria yet:

"Let's imagine Topuria moves up and gets a title shot right away and Islam beats him. Then Topuria fights again, he loses… pic.twitter.com/vU0zWgVWvd
— Championship Rounds (@ChampRDS) April 15, 2025

This is s a sound reason from the former undefeated lightweight champion. He further endorsed Arman Tsarukyan as a more deserving opponent for Islam Makhachev. This statement carries weight considering Tsarukyan was scheduled to face Makhachev at UFC 311 before pulling out due to a back injury. Khabib Nurmagomedov’s stance is clear. He wants opponents who can enhance Makhachev’s legacy, not just popular fighters jumping weight classes.

Ilia Topuria Issues Fiery Response

Ilia Topuria didn’t take Nurmagomedov’s comments lying down. ‘La Leyenda’ quickly fired back on social media platform X, suggesting Nurmagomedov’s reluctance stems from fear.

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

Khabib knows I’m the one to take the belt from Islam. Only reason he doesn’t want Islam to fight me
— Ilia Topuria (@Topuriailia) April 16, 2025

The back and forth between Topuria and Team Khabib isn’t new. They have been going at it from the past year. With Topuria now in the lightweight picture, it remains to be seen if the UFC matchmakers will give him the shot at the title, or if he gets a contender to prove his worth in the ever dangerous 155lb division!

(Image Credit: Gary A. Vasquez – Imagn Images)

Ilia Topuria

Islam Makhachev

Khabib Nurmagomedov

Zaid Quraishi

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I am a dedicated MMA and Boxing content writer at The Playoffs. I was instantly hooked on MMA after watching the fight between Lyoto Machida vs. Gegard Mousasi back in 2014, and since then, i have been an avid writer with a deep love for the sport and its techniques, providing readers with a thorough understanding of the sport. My favorite aspect of working at The Playoffs is the creative freedom it provides. The diverse range of topics, from listicles and SEO to news articles, keeps me engaged and motivates me to continuously improve my skills! I aim to capture the excitement of the combat sports world in my writing, acting as the middleman between fighters and their die-hard fans. It is kind of like a referee, but with words!