UFC star Islam Makhachev doesn’t wish to combat Ilia Topuria — at the very least, if his good friend and mentor Khabib Nurmagomedov is to be believed.
Makhachev is the UFC light-weight champion. He’s additionally the highest fighter within the promotion’s hallowed pound-for-pound rankings. That checklist additionally contains Topuria, who’s a contact decrease down the checklist.
Topuria will not be presently a UFC champion, however he was — and he by no means truly misplaced his belt. The Spain-based Georgian, who’s unbeaten at 16-0, claimed the UFC featherweight belt final yr, with a knockout of Alexander Volkanovski. Later within the yr, he defended the title with a knockout of Max Holloway.
Volkanovski and Holloway are two of the best featherweights ever, so after his wins over the pair, Topuria was actually on prime of the MMA world. Nonetheless, he then shocked followers by saying his plans to maneuver as much as light-weight, and depart the featherweight belt behind for good.
That cleared the best way for Volkanovski to tackle Diego Lopes for the vacant featherweight belt at UFC 314 final weekend in Miami. Volkanovski ended up reclaiming the title with a choice win, however Topuria nonetheless hasn’t made his light-weight debut. The truth is, we nonetheless don’t even know who he’ll combat in his first look within the new division.
Makhachev, for one, merely isn’t . That’s in keeping with Nurmagomedov.
