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via Imago

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via Imago

When Ilia Topuria kept calling out Islam Makhachev to fight following his lightweight move, the former champion didn’t really feel as if ‘El Matador’ had done anything as a 155er to get his wish. As such, the Dagestan native decided to make his move to the welterweight division in the quest for a “second belt.” But after Topuria’s explosive win over Charles Oliveira, people aren’t undermining the Georgian-Spanish star anymore. But when it comes to beating Makhachev, his mentor appears to have some doubts.

During a recent interview, Khabib Nurmagomedov made some stunning claims. The 29-0 legend was pretty serious when he dubbed Jack Della Maddalena, the current welterweight champion, as his protégé’s biggest challenge of his MMA career. Nurmagomedov dismissed almost every lightweight fighter in the top 5, including the reigning champion Ilia Topuria.

“I think Maddalena is the toughest opponent in Islam’s career. That’s my opinion. Not Charles [Oliveira], no one else. None of those other fighters,” Khabib Nurmagomedov told Adam Zubayraev. To substantiate his claim, ‘The Eagle’ pointed out the most obvious difference between Ilia Topuria and Jack Della Maddalena, which is their stature.

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Stepping up in weight class is never a walk in the park for any fighter, and that’s precisely the uphill battle Islam Makhachev is gearing up for ahead of his 170lbs title showdown, as his mentor points out. Furthermore, Jack Maddalena has displayed impressive skills in both striking and grappling, adding to the challenge for the fighter from Dagestan.

“First of all, Maddalena is twice the size of Ilia [Topuria]. He’s twice as big. Taller, bigger, stronger legs, bigger frame. His boxing is just as good… And in grappling, he scrambles really well, if you’ve watched him,” Islam Makhachev’s mentor added. “For me, if I were preparing Islam for either Ilia or Maddalena, I’d be more concerned, and am more concerned about Maddalena.”

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Looks like Khabib Nurmagomedov isn’t the only one in the GOAT conversation downplaying Ilia Topuria’s threat level. Another top contender in the GOAT conversation, who has rolled with Team Khabib before, is also throwing their support behind Islam Makhachev, suggesting he’s going to be a tough challenge for ‘El Matador’. Check out his thoughts on the matter.

What’s your perspective on:

Is Ilia Topuria really a threat to Islam Makhachev, or just another overhyped contender?

Have an interesting take?

MMA GOAT contender picks Islam Makhachev over Ilia Topuria

Demetrious Johnson has become a pretty successful voice for the sport of MMA following his retirement last year. ‘Mighty Mouse’ is also one of the few former UFC fighters who’ve crossed the million subscribers mark on YouTube. It’s safe to say that his insights are pretty interesting for his viewers, and it was the same when he spoke about a potential Ilia Topuria vs Islam Makhachev fight.

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The former 11-time defending flyweight champion believes that Islam Makhachev will be more calculated with his moves than Ilia Topuria. “I think it would be Islam because I think Islam’s gonna approach it differently, it’s hard,” Demetrious Johnson stated on YouTube. “Islam’s a southpaw, so he’s probably gonna throw body kicks and keep his arms busy and keep the distance. Move, feint, maybe use some Judo to take him down and try and get him to the ground and try to submit him.”

Looks like Ilia Topuria has found his motivation to step into the ring with Islam Makhachev—he’s out to silence the skeptics once and for all. Dana White is all in on that matchup, and it’ll be worth keeping an eye on whether the CEO goes down that path following the former lightweight champ’s showdown with Jack Della Maddalena. Drop your thoughts in the comments section below and let’s hear what you’ve got to say!

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Is Ilia Topuria really a threat to Islam Makhachev, or just another overhyped contender?

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