Ilia Topuria has been cautioned by one of the most respected voices in MMA to be cautious about calling out Khabib Nurmagomedov. The UFC featherweight champion has named the former lightweight champion as his ultimate dream opponent. While it is widely acknowledged that the Russian fighter is unlikely to return to the octagon, Topuria’s comments have nonetheless captured the attention of UFC fans.
Legendary referee John McCarthy, a founding figure in MMA, has informed Topuria that Nurmagomedov’s dominance in the sport is unmatched by any fighter currently active. He believes that this potential matchup would not be favorable for the Georgian-born Spaniard, warning him against pursuing such an opponent.
Earlier this year, Topuria expressed his desire to fight Khabib Nurmagomedov, stating that he would be thrilled to share the octagon with him. The two fighters are in similar weight classes, though Nurmagomedov has historically been the larger competitor, often struggling to make the lightweight limit.
Topuria made these comments during an interview following his knockout victory over Alexander Volkanovski at UFC 298. He stated, “My dream opponent?” before affirmatively responding, “I would be happy to enter the octagon with Khabib Nurmagomedov.”
In a related tweet, Topuria elaborated on his admiration for Nurmagomedov, acknowledging his impressive undefeated record of 29-0. He referred to Nurmagomedov as a worthy and honorable champion, expressing his eagerness to face him, regardless of the challenges that might arise.
While discussing Topuria’s comments on their show Weighing In, John McCarthy highlighted the improbability of such a matchup favoring Topuria. Co-host Josh Thomson, a former champion in Strikeforce and a longtime friend of Nurmagomedov, acknowledged his potential bias, while McCarthy delivered a more objective perspective.
McCarthy praised Topuria’s skills but pointed out that his expectations for the fight, particularly concerning standup and grappling, may not align with reality. He explained that Nurmagomedov’s wrestling has proven superior to all others in MMA, stating that even opponents who knew his game plan could not counter it.
McCarthy emphasized, “Khabib’s wrestling was better than everybody’s! Everyone knew what he was going to do and they could not stop it, nobody.” This level of dominance, according to McCarthy, illustrates the significant challenges Topuria would face should he ever find himself across the octagon from Nurmagomedov.
He further added that Topuria’s size disadvantage compared to Nurmagomedov would impact the fight’s dynamics, pointing out the control that Khabib has demonstrated in previous bouts. McCarthy concluded that Topuria would struggle against Nurmagomedov’s combat prowess, particularly in terms of takedown defense and overall fight output.
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