The tension in the MMA landscape has just reached a boiling point. As Ilia Topuria prepares for a title fight against Charles Oliveira, Islam Makhachev‘s name continues to make headlines. Accusations of dodging, unfinished business at lightweight, and a fired-up fanbase have all combined to light up social media. The biggest explosion, however, came not from a fighter but from Makhachev’s camp, which is now in full defense mode against one bold critic. But what exactly happened?

It all started when MMA analyst Unbiased EV, better known as DoubleVodkaDon, made a bold claim on an episode of the Spinning Backfist podcast. “Now, let’s call this one—Islam’s a duck,” EV said, sparking immediate controversy. “I’m gonna say it ’cause Jack won’t.” He made it clear that he definitely hates Islam Makhachev‘s decision to move up to welterweight and vacate the lightweight championship instead of defending it against Ilia Topuria. But why would he say Makhachev ducked?

EV did not stop with the Ilia Topuria situation. He took aim at Makhachev’s broader claims of having conquered the lightweight division. “He was essentially saying, like, ‘I’ve cleaned out 155,’ like no, you haven’t cleaned out 145. You fought really none of the top people out of the 145-ers.” The message was clear: in EV’s opinion, Islam Makhachev’s record did not support the claim that the division had been cleared.

However, all this did not sit well with camp Islam Makhachev. Makhachev’s manager and head of Dominance MMA, Ali Abdelaziz, launched a fierce response. Abdelaziz did not mince words when he shared footage of EV’s outburst on X: “This fat m—– f—–, need to stop eating and go to the gym. He should not be watching any sport or talking about any sport. He’s not qualified.”

Well, it clearly shows how defensive Team Khabib Nurmagomedov has become amid increasing scrutiny. It is worth noting that while the Dagestani boasts overwhelming wins over elite fighters such as Charles Oliveira and Dustin Poirier, critics believe he hasn’t faced many of the division’s current killers. Justin Gaethje, Mateusz Gamrot, and Rafael Fiziev have never competed against him in the Octagon.

Add to that, the fact that Ilia Topuria was perhaps the most dangerous rising threat at 155 pounds, so it is no wonder that many consider Makhachev’s shift to welterweight as a tactical maneuver rather than him seeking a fresh challenge. In fact, ‘El Matador’ is not done with the former lightweight champion yet, as he recently threw some jibes at him.

Ilia Topuria calls Islam Makhachev a ‘coward’

Ilia Topuria did not hold back once the UFC revealed that Islam Makhachev will relinquish his lightweight title to pursue gold in the welterweight division. After all, for weeks, fans had been awaiting a Topuria vs. Makhachev showdown. But when UFC CEO Dana White confirmed Makhachev’s promotion to face Jack Della Maddalena, Topuria exploded against the Dagestani. “The difference between you and me is that I am a man and you are a coward,” he said. “I speak and fight. You talk and hide. Run away far, leaving no trace.”

Ilia Topuria’s frustration was not unjustified. After defeating Alexander Volkanovski and defending against Max Holloway, he vacated his featherweight belt and moved up to face the division’s most dominant name, Islam Makhachev. Instead of that fight, he was unexpectedly paired with Charles Oliveira for the vacant strap at UFC 317.

To make his words feel more hurtful, ‘El Matador’ insulted Makhachev in Russian, calling him a “small boy.” The message was clear: if Makhachev was truly the guy he claimed to be, he’d defend the belt against the top growing danger, not hand it over and walk away. However, for now, the fight seems like nothing but a pipe dream. What do you think? Will we ever get to see the two fight? Let us know in the comments.