Ilia Topuria has been on a strong momentum since he bulldozered his way through Max Holloway’s granite chin earlier this year. Amidst this, the 145lbs king has sent shockwaves through the lightweight division with his bold statements claiming, “I know I am way better than anyone in my division and the next one.” The tensions between Topuria and 155lbs kingpin Islam Makhachev have ignited a heated back-and-forth, drawing in other members of ‘Team Khabib’.

The rivalry took a contentious turn when the Spanish-Goergian accused Usman Nurmagomedov of past PED violations, escalating the dispute into a public spat. This brewing conflict has fueled fan speculation about a potential champion vs. champion showdown, with many eagerly anticipating the matchup. However, neither ‘El Matador’ nor UFC President Dana White has provided any official confirmation about the fight’s likelihood.

However, Khabib Nurmagomedov, the reigning lightweight champion’s mentor, recently weighed in on the possibility of a future matchup between Makhachev and Ilia Topuria, but with conditions. In a recent episode of Henry Cejudo’s Pound for Pound podcast, the conversation kicked off with Cejudo advocating for Topuria to have a shot at the lightweight gold, citing his dominant wins over Holloway and Volkanovski. Khabib acknowledged Topuria’s skill but outlined his stance, “I think if you move up and beat somebody like Dustin Poirier or Charles Oliveira, then he’s next in line. Why not? Because there’s nobody else.”

When Cejudo pressed Khabib on whether Ilia Topuria deserved a lightweight title shot right now, ‘The Eagle’ firmly responded, “No, I don’t. Islam already gave a chance. People talk bad, like, ‘Oh, he fought two times with Volkanovski,’ but UFC pushed that fight. The first fight was good, but why does Islam have to give a third chance to the 145 champion? Why? It’s not fair for the 155-pound division.”

Initially, Topuria aspired to become a two-division champion, much like his former idol Conor McGregor. However, earlier this week, the featherweight kingpin seemed to backtrack on his previous stance, citing Makhachev’s upcoming title defense next month as a reason for requesting a fight against Charles Oliveira at 155lbs. In an interview with El Partidazo de Cope, ‘El Matador’ explained, “I’d like to fight the No. 1 contender right now, who is Charles Oliveira.”

Topuria’s recent statements have sparked a backlash from many fight fans, with some accusing him of avoiding the toughest challenges in the lightweight division by seeking a shortcut. While Khabib Nurmagomedov does not yet view ‘El Matador’ as deserving of a shot at a second belt, Caio Borralho argues that Topuria already has a notable advantage over Islam Makhachev.

Caio Borralho warns Makhachev over Topuria fight rumors

#6 ranked middleweight star Caio Borralho, who has been making a name for himself with back-to-back wins, including his latest victory over Jared Cannonier, has recently emerged as a strong advocate for the ‘champion vs. champion’ fight. Drawing from over a decade of experience in the MMA world, Borralho has been offering his expert analysis on potential matchups, particularly between Ilia Topuria and Islam Makhachev.

In a recent appearance on the ‘Overdogs’ podcast, Borralho shared his thoughts on the potential showdown between Topuria and Makhachev, stating that the reigning featherweight champion has a better chance of winning. Borralho boldly advised Makhachev not to underestimate Topuria’s striking abilities if they ever met in the octagon. ‘The Natural’ explained, “I don’t think Islam has the advantage on the grappling scene with him. I don’t see that big of an advantage… And when it comes to striking, I think Ilia is one step ahead. If Ilia can come up to the lightweight division, I think Islam is going to get into trouble.”

Do you agree with Khabib Nurmagomedov‘s view that Ilia Topuria must first face Charles Oliveira or Dustin Poirier to earn a lightweight title shot, or do you believe ‘El Matador’ deserves an immediate fight for the title against Islam Makhachev? Share your thoughts below.