For all his dominance, Islam Makhachev has still failed to rewrite his narrative in UFC. Inside the octagon, Makhachev dominates alone, but outside it, the comparisons refuse to let him. Sixteen straight victories, two UFC titles in two different divisions, and a suffocating performance at UFC 322 that made Jack Della Maddalena look like he’d wandered into the wrong weight class. By the numbers, he checks every box fans use when discussing greatness. But is it enough to step out of Khabib’s shadow?

The conversation about him never seems to begin with his achievements alone. It begins with a ghost he can’t shake. That ghost, of course, is Khabib Nurmagomedov. And according to former UFC welterweight champion Tyron Woodley, the connection isn’t fading anytime soon!

Tyron Woodley claims Islam Makhachev is still overshadowed by Khabib Nurmagomedov

In an interview with NewBettingSites, later shared in a YouTube video by MMA Zone, Woodley didn’t mince words as he shared, “He’s still in the shadow of Khabib. When I hear Islam, I can’t think of Islam by himself. When I hear the word Islam, I think of Khabib. First thing you say is Khabib’s prodigy. That’s all I’m thinking of, even now.”

And he didn’t stop there. The former champion further added in his remarks, shared in the MMA Zone video, “He didn’t beat me for a welterweight championship. He didn’t beat Georges St. Pierre. No disrespect to the guy, but he’s still fairly unknown internationally as a fighter. It was (Della Maddalena’s) first ever title defense, and it was a style made in heaven for Islam. I feel like he’s still in the shadows of Khabib.”

So why does this idea linger even after Islam Makhachev’s historic run? Part of it lies in legacy math. ‘The Eagle’ retired undefeated, 29-0, with an aura of invincibility that bordered on myth. Makhachev, meanwhile, built his career under Nurmagomedov’s mentorship, training beside him, walking out beside him, adopting a similar yet uniquely his own, suffocating style that once frustrated entire divisions.

That’s why, for some fans and fighters, separating the two feels impossible. But the reality inside the cage tells a different story. At UFC 322, Makhachev toyed with Jack Della Maddalena, a champion with real knockout power and an MMA win streak stretching back all the way to  2016.

All three judges scored it 50-45. Makhachev racked up over 19 minutes of control time, outstruck Della Maddalena by more than 90 significant strikes, and secured every takedown he attempted. That wasn’t inherited greatness, that was earned dominance. Yet Tyron Woodley’s criticism forces a bigger question: what else must Islam Makhachev accomplish to step out from Khabib Nurmagomedov’s shadow?

Ian Garry just beat Belal Muhammad, Carlos Prates knocked out Leon Edwards, and Michael Morales dismantled Sean Brady. These are young, dynamic contenders built for action fights. If Makhachev wants to redefine his narrative, testing himself against men like these could rewrite the legacy conversation entirely. Yet, Tony Ferguson, a man whose story was once closely linked to ‘The Eagle’, had a different take on the situation!

Tony Ferguson draws comparisons between Makhachev and Nurmagomedov to Aljamain Sterling and Merab Dvalishvili

For Ferguson, the conversation isn’t just about Islam Makhachev’s résumé; it’s about the shadow that hung over him for years. Speaking with Helen Yee, Ferguson rewound the tape to the era when he and Khabib Nurmagomedov were on a collision course that never materialized despite five bookings. That rivalry shaped an entire generation of lightweight storytelling, and Ferguson believes Makhachev was right there in the thick of it.

According to ‘El Cucuy’, “To me, in my opinion, Islam was one of the dudes that always had Khabib in the practice room, at the time, it was kind of like Aljo (Sterling) and Merab (Dvalishvili), just feeling like when Aljo left then Merab finally started to shine and stuff. It’s the same thing with Khabib and Islam.”

And if fans wondered how a prime Ferguson would match up with today’s Makhachev, his answer came with classic boldness as he shared, “But  in my prime, kick you’re a–.”

Yet for all his competitive bravado, Ferguson also acknowledged the complexity of the Khabib–Islam relationship. He speculated that as long as Abdulmanap Nurmagomedov was coaching, Makhachev may have stayed a step behind out of respect. But once ‘The Eagle’ retired and stepped back from the cage, “he finally had his time to shine.”

So where does that leave Islam Makhachev in the ever-evolving conversation about greatness? Tyron Woodley believes the shadow of Khabib Nurmagomedov still hangs over him. Tony Ferguson insists Makhachev has always been carving his own path. But the truth may lie somewhere in the middle. Khabib Nurmagomedov built the foundation, and Makhachev expanded the empire. One created the blueprint; the other is redrawing it with every title win, every contender dismantled, and every record broken!