“Send him 2-3 years to Dagestan and forget,” the infamous quote from Islam Makhachev, is now familiar to everyone in the combat sports community and beyond. The cultural impact these lines had after they went viral on the internet is astounding. It is up there with the iconic Conor McGregor one-liners like “Who the f–k is that guy” and “You’ll do nothing,” often imitated with his Irish accent. But Makhachev’s quote is one that has pushed many into action, and that list may soon include IShowSpeed’s brother.

While it would seem like a rough journey, IShowSpeed wishes his brother, Jamal, to follow the steps mentioned in Makhachev’s quote, quite literally. And that desire has seemingly garnered the attention of UFC champion Islam Makhachev himself.

The conversation started when IShowSpeed asked his brother to do 20 full pushups. Upon failing to complete the activity, the 21-year-old streamer shared the idea of sending Jamal to Dagestan. In his mind, IShowSpeed believed that would be a significant step in transforming his brother into a more fit individual. But who knew even Makhachev would be interested in such a conversation?

“Please feel free to message me on Instagram so that we can discuss the matter and sort it out properly,” Makhachev’s superchat on IShowSpeed’s YouTube channel read.

IShowSpeed is, without a doubt, one of the standout live streamers in today’s world. And such personalities are the ones making content with several UFC fighters like Makhachev. Although Makhachev never met IShowSpeed, the Dagestani has been very open to other streamers like Adin Ross. So, in the UFC welterweight champion’s eyes, he likes to collaborate with streamers if given the opportunity.

IShowSpeed is an enigmatic personality who has previously met with many UFC superstars. The list includes the likes of Alex Pereira, Jon Jones, and even Khabib Nurmagomedov. When he met ‘The Eagle’, their conversation caught quite a lot of attention. As such, Nurmagomedov even jokingly issued a fight callout to the American streamer. Both of them are ardent soccer fans and have a good relationship with Portuguese legend Cristiano Ronaldo.

The pair met at the 2025 Champions League final. Khabib, a lifelong Real Madrid fan, joked with the CBS Sports team of Thierry Henry, Jamie Carragher, and others. He compared his soccer skills with Speed, and even gave him a friendly reminder to consider his words carefully because ‘there was nobody between them.’

But did you know that Speed had actually tried to train with another champion?

When IShowSpeed approached a former UFC champion for training

IShowSpeed is one of the most loved YouTubers in the world, with over 50 million subscribers on the platform. According to UFC CEO Dana White, streamers like IShowSpeed are currently the most powerful people in the world.

And citing that popularity, they often get invitations to some of the major events. Earlier this year, IShowSpeed was at the Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium in Rabat to watch the AFCON finals between Senegal and Morocco.

Luckily, the 21-year-old had the opportunity to meet former UFC heavyweight champion Francis Ngannou at the venue. And given the opportunity, he didn’t even shy away from making a request.

“I’m looking for you. I’m trying to learn how to box,” IShowSpeed told Ngannou. “I want to learn how to fight. For real.”

Speed once sparred with Dan Hooker, and ‘Hangman’ being who he is, decided to drop him with a body shot. He has also spent time on the mats with Vanessa Demopoulos and Caio Borralho, among others. He’s also been spotted with lightweight title contender Arman Tsarukyan.