Khabib Nurmagomedov gives his thoughts on Ilia Topuria’s ambitions at lightweight and explains why he still needs to prove his worth.
Guest on the podcast Pound 4 Pound with Henry Cejudo, Khabib Nurmagomedov gave his opinion on Ilia Topuria’s ambitions. The latter, undefeated and featherweight champion, plans to move up to lightweight to get closer to a fight against Islam Makhachev. But for Khabib, it’s simple: he must prove that he can do it.
Topuria may dominate at 145 pounds, but he can’t come up to lightweight and directly ask for a title shot. Khabib was clear: “Without fighting at 155, no, I don’t agree. Islam has already given a chance [à un champion des poids plumes]. People talk bad because he fought Volkanovski twice, but the UFC pushed for this fight. Why should Islam give a 145-pound champion three chances? It’s not fair to the 155.”
A test against Charles Oliveira or Dustin Poirier
For Khabib, if Topuria really wants to establish himself as a serious contender, he first has to beat a name like Charles Oliveira or Dustin Poirier. And the former champion doesn’t just criticize, he sees real potential in Topuria: “If he goes up and beats someone like Charles Oliveira? Of course. And you know what I think? I think he can beat him. »
Also read: Islam Makhachev closes the door on Topuria and warns: “If I beat him, people will say he’s a featherweight”
Topuria himself has already expressed interest in a fight against Oliveira. This would be a perfect test to show if he is ready to take on the 155-pound elite. But go straight to Makhachev? Khabib doesn’t even want to think about it: “Why should Islam still face a champion from the division below? It doesn’t make sense. »
Can Topuria win at lightweight?
The lightweight division is one of the most competitive in the UFC. With names like Makhachev, Arman Tsarukyan and Dustin Poirier, the bar is high. If Topuria wants to leave a mark there, he will have to prove that he is up to it. For the moment, he dominates in the featherweight category, but the lightweight category is another world.
Testing against a former champion like Oliveira could earn him the respect of the division. Khabib seems convinced Topuria has the tools to succeedbut he will have to go through fire before he hopes to touch gold.
