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Ilia Topuria and Islam Makhachev’s rivalry has seemingly escalated from a competitive challenge to a heated exchange of sharp remarks. Topuria initially expressed interest in facing Makhachev for the UFC lightweight title. However, his comments ignited a strong reaction from Makhachev’s teammates, leading to a series of confrontations.
Usman Nurmagomedov stepped into the exchange to question Topuria's legitimacy in street fights after the Spaniard claimed he would not fight Makhachev in the streets because "he'd have to pay for his medical bills." The UFC featherweight champion fired back by referencing Nurmagomedov's failed drug test in October 2023.
Most recently, during an interview on The Ariel Helwani Show, Topuria was asked to shed light on his rivalry with Makhachev. He dismissed the threats from his teammates, asserting that no one from Makhachev’s camp would follow through on their words:
"I don’t have anything personal with him. The only point is that he’s the world champion in the lightweight division. I wanna move up to the lightweight division. I wanna face him in the future. I said something like ‘ I want to face him in the octagon ‘ and all his cousins came out ‘When I see you in the street. When I see you around, I’m gonna do this and that ‘. Oh, shut the fu*k up. You are not gonna do anything. So shut up.”
Speaking about his comments on Nurmagomedov, Topuria added:
"That guy [Usman Nurmagomedov] they caught him with steroids. That's why he's so nervous because it affects a lot in the nervous system."
Check out Ilia Topuira's comments below:
Check out the full interview below:
Belal Muhammad warns Ilia Topuria against disrespecting Islam Makhachev’s team
Belal Muhammad has issued a stern warning to Ilia Topuria after the UFC featherweight champion’s recent remarks aimed at Islam Makhachev and his teammates. Topuria, eyeing a move to the lightweight division, challenged Makhachev, but his comments sparked strong reactions from the Makhachev camp.
As someone who has regularly trained with the Dagestani team, Muhammad shed light on the gravity of Topuria’s words, reminding him that Makhachev's teammates don’t take such provocations lightly. Speaking in an interview with Submission Radio, Muhammad said:
"Ilia was coming at Islam [Makhachev]. And I said, 'Be careful what you say to Islam and these guys in Dagestan. They don't play.'... He's [Topuria] trying to make noise, he's trying to be that [bad] guy."
Catch Belal Muhammad's comments below (5:00):
