Ilia Topuria’s UFC future has increasingly become a hotly debated subject since the Spaniard vacated his featherweight title.
Topuria dropped his 145-pound strap in February to move up 10lbs and fight lightweight king Islam Makhachev.
However, Makhachev, who is coached by UFC legend Khabib Nurmagomedov, has reportedly suggested that Topuria must ‘earn’ a shot for his belt by fighting top contenders in the division first.
Both Topuria and Makhachev are currently in talks with UFC CEO Dana White regarding their next fights, with several MMA fans hoping they will meet in a blockbuster clash will happen this summer.
talkSPORT pundits Adam Catterall and Brendan Loughnane also called for the mega-fight between the pair, saying the bout would be the biggest fight in the UFC outside of Jon Jones vs Tom Aspinall.
Henry Cejudo, a former two-division UFC champion and Olympic gold medallist, believes Nurmagomedov’s influence will be key to those negotiations.
“I don’t think it’s Islam’s choice,” Cejudo, who held the UFC flyweight title for two years from 2018, said on The Bohnfire podcast.
“Khabib will step in and say no to Topuria for that reason. My guess is Islam Makhachev vs Justin Gaethje.”
Gaethje is the No.3 ranked lightweight in the division and the only active 155lb fighter who Makhachev hasn’t yet fought (and defeated) in the UFC.
Cejudo later explained how Nurmagomedov, who retired from MMA after defending the lightweight title against Gaethje in 2020 following his dad’s passing, has now adopted the role of his late father.
“The simple fact is, Khabib is playing his dad’s role now,” ‘Triple C’ said on Pound 4 Pound.
“It’s a role of respect and honor. If Khabib’s dad was still alive, he wouldn’t be retired…
“So 100 per cent he’s going to do what his dad says, and that’s all there is to it until his dad says, ‘All right man, you’re done.’
“They have that same level of respect for Khabib because now he is playing that role of what his father has done for everybody else.”
Khabib’s submission victory over Conor McGregor at UFC 229 in October 2018 is one of the promotion’s biggest and most controversial fights of all time.
There was so much tension between the Russian and Irishman’s camps that members of Khabib’s team jumped McGregor after the bout and a massive brawl broke out.
‘The Eagle’ was one of the most dominant forces the UFC has ever seen, and his prodigy, Makhachev, is now following in his footsteps.
“It doesn’t even fall on Islam; It falls on Khabib Nurmagomedov,” Cejudo concluded.
“Islam just pretty much says what Khabib is going to do. And it’s not like he’s the commander-in-chief, but he’s his brother.
“They represent something that’s just different. To a lot of people who are listening to what I have to say, they’re probably like, ‘This dude’s out of his damn mind.’
“But no. When you truly understand these guys, their culture, how they take faith and competition all to an extreme there’s levels of layers of respect.
“So for that reason, as crazy as it sounds, it’s not going to be up to Islam Makhachev. It’s going to be up to Khabib Nurmagomedov.
“Khabib Nurmagomedov could be the bad cop. Islam will fight anybody, anytime, anywhere.”
Topuria provided somewhat of a legend-killing performance when he knocked out Alexander Volkanovski and Max Holloway consecutively last year to win and retain the UFC featherweight title.
He has quickly grown into one of the UFC’s biggest stars and a super fight against Makhachev would be an all-time great bout.
If Makhachev does not fight Topuria next, expect him to fight someone like Gaethje as Cejudo suggested, or Charles Oliveira in what will be his fifth UFC lightweight title defence.
