One name stood alone for Khabib Nurmagomedov in discussing what could be Islam Makhachev’s toughest test.
UFC lightweight champion Islam Makhachev has no shortage of options for his next Octagon appearance, including a potential move to welterweight. Makhachev has long teased a move up in weight, but that’s been further complicated by his teammate Belal Muhammad‘s reign over the welterweight division.
For now, Makhachev remains the man to beat in the UFC lightweight division amidst his run as the UFC’s pound-for-pound king. After finishing Renato Moicano in the UFC 311 main event, many have debated who will present the biggest obstacle to Makhachev’s title reign.
Khabib Nurmagomedov, Makhachev’s longtime friend and mentor, believes there are several intriguing challenges for the lightweight champ’s next test.
Khabib Nurmagomedov pinpoints Islam Makhachev’s potential toughest test
One such test proposed is former UFC featherweight champion Ilia Topuria, who vacated the 145 lb title for a full-time transition to lightweight. Paddy Pimblett also made a strong case for a title shot after entering the Top 10 following his win over Michael Chandler last Saturday.
But neither Pimblett nor Topuria present the level of difficulty that one of Makhachev’s former foes presents, according to Nurmagomedov.
During a recent interview with Adam Zubayraev, Nurmagomedov explained why he believes Arman Tsarukyan is a tougher challenge than Topuria for Makhachev’s next fight.
“My personal opinion — not necessarily [more] dangerous, let’s say more competitive — I think it’s [Arman] Tsarukyan,” Nurmagomedov said of Makhachev’s next potential fight. “I think Arman is a more serious fighter than Topuria. Topuria is a good fighter at 145 but we haven’t seen him at 155. I believe Arman is more competitive for Islam than Topuria.
“I don’t know what kind of agreements Topuria and the UFC had, but from Islam’s side, he already gave two title shots to 145 champions,” Nurmagomedov continued. “Both times Islam won. Now a third time — OK, 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 [a] nobody at 155.
“Islam beat a guy who was a nobody at 155. Because of that, in terms of legacy for Islam, for his resume, I understand Islam’s risks, too. That’s why Islam says let him fight, let him become a real contender.” (h/t MMA Fighting)
Makhachev outpointed Tsarukyan by unanimous decision in the latter’s UFC debut in 2019. The two lightweights were supposed to rematch at UFC 311, before Tsarukyan withdrew on hours’ notice due to a back injury.
Islam Makhachev’s coach made a surprising pick for his next opponent
Makhachev’s longtime coach Javier Mendez disagrees with Nurmagomedov’s position. In a recent interview, Mendez made the case for Pimblett to get the next lightweight title shot after his performance at UFC 314.
Dustin Poirier tabbed another matchup for Pimblett, opining that Pimblett should face his former rival Dan Hooker for a potential No. 1 contender matchup. Hooker was supposed to fight at UFC 313 against Justin Gaethje before withdrawing due to injury.
Gaethje is also in the mix after defeating Rafael Fiziev at UFC 313, and is one of the few top contenders who hasn’t faced Makhachev during his career. Gaethje is 0-2 in lineal UFC title fights, including a loss in Nurmagomedov’s UFC finale at UFC 254.
