Islam Makhachev has been told to steer clear of a UFC superstar who’s desperate to get his hands on the lightweight championship.
In his career, the Russian has cemented his status as the pound-for-pound number one, utilizing his formidable grappling skills to destroy his opponents.
However, while he’s likely capable of beating anybody in the sport, there’s one fight he’s been advised not to take.
An MMA fan favorite has expressed that the risk is not worth the reward.
WOW: Khabib Nurmagomedov told he’s wrong about Ilia Topuria by UFC Hall of Famer
Matt Brown says Islam Makhachev should avoid Ilia Topuria
Islam Makhachev could have a massive challenge on his hands, with Ilia Topuria hunting him down for a shot at becoming a two-weight King.
However, Matt Brown doesn’t believe the Dagestani would get any credit for beating the Spanish-Georgian, as he’s already overcome a former featherweight title-holder in the form of Alexander Volkanovski.
In an interview with MMA Fighting, he said: “If I’m Islam Makhachev, I don’t take that fight. I totally agree with what he said, ‘I don’t need to fight another blown up 145-pounder’. He’s already done that.”
Brown then pitched an interesting match-up for Topuria, exclaiming: “Let him fight one and earn his way to the title. Who does he fight? Charles Oliveira — f— yeah.”
Many agree with Brown’s thoughts, including ‘The American Gangster’. Chael Sonnen believes Topuria should take on Oliveira or Arman Tsarukyan, before going toe-to-toe with Makhachev in a blockbuster showdown.
UFC lightweight insists size won’t matter when Ilia Topuria fights Islam Makhachev
Later in the interview, Brown expressed fears that Topuria might not have the size to compete at lightweight.
The American feared: “My first thought when I heard it, was, ‘He’s pretty small for 155 lbs. He wasn’t big for 145 lbs; I was surprised that he said he has a hard time making that weight.”
However, not everyone agrees with his view.
Having heard some wild gym stories, a UFC star is convinced Topuria could compete with Makhachev.