Family loyalty runs deep in Dagestan, where wrestling traditions pass from father to son and cousin to cousin. The mountainous region has produced some of MMA’s greatest fighters, Khabib Nurmagomedov being one of them. He has built his legendary career alongside family members who shared his commitment to excellence. His retirement left a void at lightweight that many fighters have tried to fill, but none have captured the same magic.
Ilia Topuria recently captured UFC gold by knocking out Charles Oliveira in spectacular fashion. His rise has been meteoric, with fans and media crowning him as the division’s new king. But Nurmagomedov sees things differently, and his opinion carries serious weight in the MMA world. When the undefeated legend speaks about lightweight talent, people listen carefully to every word he says.
The undefeated legend didn’t mince words when discussing who he believes represents the best lightweight talent in the world today. During a recent PFL interview, the Dagestani legend made it clear that he thinks his cousin Usman Nurmagomedov stands above Ilia Topuria in terms of overall skill and ability.
“They have to fight (to know who is the best). People can talk, they can say whatever they want. It’s my opinion, like, well-rounded fighter, I think Usman is better.”
This isn’t just family bias talking, though that certainly plays a role in Nurmagomedov’s assessment. Usman has built an impressive resume outside the UFC, capturing Bellator’s lightweight title before transitioning to the PFL organization. While Topuria holds gold in the world’s premier MMA organization, ‘The Eagle’ suggested that promotional affiliation doesn’t automatically determine who the best fighter actually is.
The timing of Khabib’s comments is particularly interesting given Topuria’s recent momentum and growing star power. Most MMA fans have accepted Topuria as the legitimate lightweight king after his spectacular knockout of Oliveira. But Khabib’s dissenting opinion adds a layer of intrigue to the lightweight landscape.
Meanwhile, Usman Nurmagomedov didn’t shy away from his cousin’s praise. He instead doubling down with his own bold statements about resume superiority. He pointed out that Topuria has only competed once at lightweight, while he has built his entire career in the division with twenty fights worth of experience. This family feud brewing between the Nurmagomedovs and Topuria creates fascinating storylines for MMA fans who love debates about cross-promotional talent comparisons.
(Image Credit: Gary A. Vasquez – Imagn Images)
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