“This is not forever,” Khabib’s cousin declares Islam Makhachev as the present best lightweight but claims his reign will end

Usman Nurmagomedov sees Islam Makhachev as the best lightweight MMA fighter in the world but believes that might not be forever.

“This is not forever,” Khabib’s cousin declares Islam Makhachev as the present best lightweight but claims his reign will end

Islam Makhachev and Khabib Nurmagomedov's cousin Usman (Image via IMAGO)

Usman Nurmagomedov believes his cousin Islam Makhachev is the best lightweight in the world but it won’t be like this in the future. Nurmagomedov and Makhachev, the Dagestani brothers, are ruling the top MMA promotions in the world. Nurmagomedov is the reigning Bellator lightweight champion in the world and has one title defense under his name. Training under Khabib Nurmagomedov, Usman shows the same potential as the former UFC lightweight champion. 

Many fans expected him to make his UFC debut but it seems like Islam Makhachev is the main reason for the fighter not to make that move. Recently, in an interview with The Schmo, Usman Nurmagomedov talked about Makhachev and the fighter’s dominance.

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He said, “Islam Makhachev, he’s the best in the world right now. This is not forever. Of course we can make our history, we can change everything. You never stop to grow up. But right now, lightweight, he’s the best.” 

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According to Nurmagomedov, there is no one better in the world than Makhachev in the lightweight division. However, the fighter also revealed that it will not remain that way in the future and this might be a hint towards his future move to the UFC.

Related: “They train at a mosque…USADA can’t go in,” Bobby Green drops serious accusations on Islam Makhachev and Dagestani team on using steroids in Abu Dhabi

Islam Makhachev’s coach talks about the fighter being under Khabib Nurmagomedov’s shadow

After Khabib Nurmagomedov’s retirement, Islam Makhachev successfully carried the torch and became the new lightweight champion of the UFC. Both Makhachev and Khabib Nurmagomedov have enjoyed highly successful careers in the world of MMA, relying on their expertise in sambo-style grappling to assert dominance over their opponents.

Khabib Nurmagomedov (Image Courtesy: UFC)
Khabib Nurmagomedov (Image Courtesy: Eagle FC)

Their relationship and style of fighting have always drawn parallels, with many fight fans regarding him as the second Khabib. The immense success of ‘The Eagle’ has created a lasting challenge to overcome for Makhachev to create his own identity. 

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While talking about the situation, both Makhachev and Khabib’s coach, Javier Mendez, mentioned that to help Islam emerge from Khabib’s shadow, fans should avoid constantly comparing him to Khabib since they are distinct fighters. 

According to Mendez, Islam has its own identity in the sport, separate from Khabib. While they share the same weight division and Khabib is immensely famous, everybody should recognize Islam for his unique abilities and not solely in relation to his cousin.

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