Hold on to your hats, fight fans! Khabib Nurmagomedov, the legendary former lightweight champion, has dropped a bombshell, claiming that a certain UFC fight eclipses the highly anticipated clash between Jon Jones and Alex Pereira. This is a bold statement, considering the star power involved in a potential Jones vs. Pereira showdown.
Khabib, who will be present at UFC 322 to support his teammate Islam Makhachev, seems to have a different perspective on the biggest fight in the sport right now.
According to Nurmagomedov, a fight involving Makhachev holds more weight, especially if Makhachev wins at Madison Square Garden this weekend. But what fight is he talking about?
It turns out, Nurmagomedov believes the matchup between Islam Makhachev and Ilia Topuria is the bigger draw.
Makhachev, who initially downplayed a fight with the undefeated Spanish knockout star Ilia Topuria, has his sights set on another championship victory.
Nurmagomedov is convinced that a Makhachev vs. Topuria pairing is a bigger fight than Jones vs. Pereira. He stated, "I think right now, yeah: (Ilia) Topuria and Islam (Makhachev) is the biggest fight. Not Jon Jones and (Alex) Pereira. It’s [Jones vs. Pereira] still a big fight, but not on that level [of Makhachev vs. Topuria]."
But here's where it gets controversial... even a fight involving Jones isn't on the same level as Makhachev and Topuria, according to Nurmagomedov.
Adding to the mix, former heavyweight champion Francis Ngannou has also expressed his desire for a fight with Jones. Ngannou, who has been making waves in the PFL and boxing, believes a fight between him and Jones would be the ideal main event for a future UFC White House card.
What do you think? Is Nurmagomedov right? Does Makhachev vs. Topuria have the potential to be a bigger fight than Jones vs. Pereira? Or do you think Ngannou's claim holds more water? Share your thoughts in the comments below!