Islam Makhachev could find himself in a difficult position if he agrees to fight Ilia Topuria, according to a former two-weight UFC champion.
The Dagestani has solidified his status as the greatest mixed martial artist walking the face of the Earth.
Even Dana White has admitted that Makhachev is the pound-for-pound number one over Jon Jones, which is a huge statement.
However, despite being so brilliant inside the cage, it isn’t necessarily enough to save him from the wrath of UFC fans.
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Daniel Cormier thinks Islam Makhachev will get slammed for beating featherweights if he fights Ilia Topuria
Daniel Cormier is concerned that if Islam Makhachev defeats Ilia Topuria, he’ll receive backlash for picking up another win over a competitor who previously operated at 145 pounds.
Having developed a close relationship with the Russian, through training together at American Kickboxing Academy, ‘DC’ knows just how good he is.
In a video he titled, ‘Islam Makhachev will get crushed if he beats Ilia Topuria’, the esteemed wrestler gave his take on the situation.
The 45-year-old said: “I don’t know that Islam should fight him first. For Makhachev, he goes and beats Ilia Topuria, people will say he beat Alexander Volkanovski, Ilia Topuria, Charles Oliveira and Renato Moicano, seems pretty good — that’s five title fight wins.
“But in that, they’ll say, ‘He’s defended the belt three times against featherweights’. At the end of the day, it doesn’t matter what you do or in how high a regard you hold someone; the fact that, he was a champion in a lower weight class, is what’s going to be pointed to the moment Islam beats him.
“Anytime you have a dominant champion, you look for reasons to discredit them. It happens all the time. ‘Oh, he beat a featherweight and a guy who was ranked lower on a day’s notice’. People will always try to find holes in his title reign that aren’t there. He is the best in the world, and we should respect that.”
Daniel Cormier slaps Islam Makhachev after the UFC lightweight champion hits him with a brutal insult
Cormier and Makhachev have a fantastic relationship, with the pair showcasing their chemistry during interviews.
However, while he enjoys the lightweight King’s company, the American doesn’t always take too kindly to his jokes.
During one interaction, the former Olympian was utterly appalled by something his teammate said.
Furious with the ‘disrespectful’ jibe, Cormier slapped Makhachev.