Jon Jones and Dana White on Alert as Team Khabib Issues Bold Claim on Islam Makhachev Ahead of UFC 311

The bright lights of Inglewood, California, are ready to shine on UFC 311 on January 18, 2025. Fighters will step into the Octagon with dreams of glory, but for Islam Makhachev and ‘Team Khabib,’ this event means so much more than just another fight night. They intend to deliver a message: They are here to dominate and they won’t stop even if Dana White stands in their way!

Headlining the card, Makhachev will defend his lightweight crown against a hungry Arman Tsarukyan in a long-anticipated rematch. Adding fuel to the fire, Dagestani teammate Umar Nurmagomedov will step into the co-main event to battle Merab Dvalishvili for the bantamweight title. With Khabib Nurmagomedov’s “father’s plan” guiding the way, ‘Team Khabib’ is ready to take over and perhaps shake up the narratives surrounding the UFC’s greatest fighters.

Abdulmanap Nurmagomedov, the late father of Khabib Nurmagomedov, once said in an interview back in 2019, “Islam can beat anyone. After Khabib, he will be the champion. I have no reason to worry.” And while he was sadly unable to watch as Islam Makhachev fulfilled that prophecy at UFC 280 against Charles Oliveira, the foundation he laid cannot be denied.

Now with UFC 311 on the horizon, Javier Mendez shared a post on Instagram that clarified the team’s intentions heading into Makhachev’s fourth title defense. The head coach and founder of AKA (American Kickboxing Academy) shared a picture with the UFC lightweight champion and captioned it: “Two more weeks of hard training and P4P #1 @islam_makhachev will remind us all why he is number 1🦅🦅 @nurmagomedov_mma_school @americankickboxingacademy #fathersplan.”

Islam Makhachev currently holds the #1 spot in the P4P rankings, followed closely by Jon Jones at #2. Here are the top 5 pound-for-pound rankings:

1. Islam Makhachev
2. Jon Jones
3. Alex Pereira
4. Ilia Topuria
5. Belal Muhammad

However, UFC boss Dana White made his stance clear earlier this year when he stated: “Listen, Islam knows I love him, man. But you know how I feel about that. Jon Jones is undefeated for however many years. Boo all you want. I don’t give a s–t.”

Regardless, as we take a look at the lightweight champion’s main event showdown against Arman Tsarukyan, it has all the makings of a classic. Their first clash in 2019 was a barnburner, earning ‘Fight of the Night’ honors. Tsarukyan, then a rookie, pushed Makhachev to the limit despite taking the fight on short notice in his UFC debut!

Top Comment by michaelhendren44gmail

Umar doesn’t even deserve a shot at this time and it will show at 311

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This time, there are no surprises, no short notices; Only two men who are determined to prove that they are the best at what they do inside the Octagon. And in a recent conversation with Daniel Cormier, Islam Makhachev has indicated that he is determined to close this chapter, once and for all!

UFC 311: Islam Makhachev plans to “finish all questions” with the Arman Tsarukyan fight

Islam Makhachev will step into the Octagon at UFC 311 not just to defend his lightweight crown but to cement his legacy. This isn’t about merely winning—this is a statement. A rematch five years in the making with Arman Tsarukyan is more than a clash of skills; it is an opportunity for Makhachev to quash the murmurs of doubt that linger from their first encounter.

Speaking to Daniel Cormier in an interview for ESPN MMA, the Dagestani warrior stated, “Maybe I underestimated him because it was short notice and nobody knows him, and he don’t have name. I never watched his fights. He did well in that fight, but I’d like to finish all the questions, you know?”

While he admitted he was not a fan of repeat matchups, the familiarity gives him a strategic edge. How? Makhachev explained, “I don’t like rematch, but when I fight second time, I know everything that my opponent can do and is not going to be surprise for me.”

We don’t have to look beyond his second fight with Alexander Volkanovski to understand that Makhachev can back up what he says as he knocked out the Australian in the very first round with a thunderous head kick and follow-up shots. But this isn’t just about individual legacy—it’s about ‘Team Khabib’ making a collective statement.

With Umar Nurmagomedov battling for bantamweight gold in the co-main event, UFC 311 could mark a seismic shift in the Dagestani camp’s legacy in the sport. Yet the question remains, can Makhachev silence the doubters and cement his spot as the undisputed pound-for-pound king? Or will Tsarukyan pull off the upset and rewrite history? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.