According to Henry Cejudo, Khabib Nurmagomedov may be the reason why a superfight between Islam Makhachev and Ilia Topuria isn`t happening.
Topuria had announced his move to lightweight and desire for a title shot, fueling speculation about an immediate challenge to Makhachev. However, Makhachev appears hesitant, and Cejudo believes Nurmagomedov`s influence is at play.
Cejudo recalls Khabib stating it`s unfair for Topuria to jump the line for a title shot, especially since Makhachev has consistently faced top contenders, including Alexander Volkanovski. Cejudo suggests Khabib might insist Topuria first prove himself against a No. 1 contender.
While Cejudo believes Makhachev is willing to fight anyone, he anticipates Khabib stepping in to advocate for a more traditional path for Topuria. Cejudo speculates that this could lead to Islam Makhachev facing Justin Gaethje at International Fight Week instead.
Despite Makhachev`s status as a dominant champion with a record-breaking lightweight title defense streak, some criticize his reign for including two fights against a featherweight champion. Makhachev himself prefers Topuria to earn a lightweight victory before a title fight. Cejudo proposes Dustin Poirier as a potential opponent for Topuria.
Cejudo also mentioned Charles Oliveira`s reluctance to fight Topuria unless he`s champion, suggesting Oliveira might lack leverage to avoid the fight. Cejudo believes the UFC could easily sideline fighters who refuse matchups, making a Topuria vs. Poirier fight a plausible scenario.
Adding an interesting twist, Cejudo notes Dustin Poirier`s desire to face legends in his retirement fight, and Ilia Topuria recently declared himself a “Legend.”
